what does the term "eat crow" mean?

Question

I know what the conotation of the phrase means, but am curious about the phrase itself.

Answer 1

WELL WHEN SOMEONE PROVES U WRONG THEY SAY EAT CROW ITS LIKE A LITTLE INSULT

Answer 2

There are two possible origins:

1. It's an Americanization of "humble pie," a real dish which was often eaten by poor people along with rook pie. Rooks are similar to crows.

2. In a story by Rudyard Kipling, two men are trapped in a place where crows are the only food. At first, one of them stubbornly declares he will not eat crow, but after several days, he is forced to do so or starve.

I think the second story more closely relates to the idiomatic meaning.

Answer 3

To eat boiled crow is to be proven wrong after having strongly expressed your opinion. It is most likely an Americanization of the English "To eat humble pie". The English phrase is something of of a pun — "umbles" were the intestines and other unsavories of a deer. Pies made of this were known to be served to those of lesser class who did not eat at the king's/lord's/governor's table.

Answer 4

Crow is not very tasty, so eating crow is something no one really wants to do.