swallow one's pride

Meaning: To set aside one's pride and accept a humbling situation or apology.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Category: Body & Senses

Origin: The phrase pictures forcing down something bitter or distasteful, as if pride were a physical substance lodged in the throat.

More idioms — Body & Senses

More English idioms

  • fall into place — To become suddenly clear and fully understood when separate elements finally align.
  • raise hell — To cause a major disturbance or create considerable trouble and chaos.
  • flavor of the week — A person or thing that receives intense attention or popularity for a brief period before…
  • stars align — Circumstances or events combine in a fortunate way, often unexpectedly or after a long pe…
  • put the pedal to the metal — To accelerate a vehicle to maximum speed, or more figuratively, to exert maximum effort.
  • donkey's ears — A very long time; ages.

From our untranslatable words

  • Ma — The meaningful negative space between things — a deliberate pause in music, an empty room…
  • Natsukashii — A warm, nostalgic rush triggered by something from the past — a smell, a song, a sight. N…
  • Yugen — A profound, mysterious sense of the universe that is too deep for words — the feeling of…

Browse all untranslatable words →

← Back to Idioms