The expression “to eat crow” came from an incident during the War of 1812 when the Americans invaded Canada.
A hungry New England soldier who strayed across enemy lines had shot a crow for food when he was discovered by an unarmed British officer who managed to get hold of the American’s rifle by pretending to admire it.
He then turned the weapon on the young man and forced him to eat part of the crow raw before letting him go.
When someone is humiliated we say they were forced to “eat crow”.
Related Posts
-
How Did Crow’s Feathers Become Black In Australian Aboriginal Mythology and Why Was Eagle Suspicious of Crow?
During The Dreamtime, Crow's feathers were white. One morning, Crow told his best friend Eagle to go hunting in the hills for kangaroo. Crow said that he would search along the lake for…
-
What does the phrase “to eat crow” mean and Where does it come from?
To abase oneself; be obliged to accept or do something extremely disagreeable. Though this homely American saying is not found in print prior to 1877, there is no doubt that it was in…
-
Where does the phrase “Jim Crow” come from and What does it mean?
You can read about Thomas D. Rice in the encyclopedia. He was a comedian of a hundred years ago, turning to Negro minstrelsy almost at the outset of his theatrical career and rapidly…
-
What does the expression “to jump Jim Crow” mean and Where does it come from?
The expression "to jump Jim Crow" means: To dance with a peculiar limping step. Although, according to the Negro Year Book for 1925-26, the name "Jim Crow" was that of a Negro born…
-
What were Jim Crow laws and How was segregation mandated in all public facilities in Southern states?
After Reconstruction, southern states enacted laws that made it nearly impossible for blacks to vote, which meant that political power was now held solely by whites. Where the races had been previously separated…
-
Why Does the Stomach Shrink When You Eat Less and When You Eat More Does Your Stomach Expand?
New research has shown that there is a significant reduction in stomach capacity when someone reduces food intake. However, stomach capacity can also be increased by someone who eats more, which has implications…
