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Engolir sapo

Portuguese

Meaning

To eat crow / To swallow one's pride

Example

Engula esse sapo por enquanto e espere o momento certo de agir.

Swallow your pride for now and wait for the right moment to act.

Origin

The origin is debated. A common explanation is an old torture/initiation rite in which the candidate was forced to swallow a live toad — a disgusting test of endurance. Another view is that it's a Pan-Romance expression (French 'avaler des couleuvres') built on the same 'swallow something bitter without spitting it out' image.