found himself eating his words

English translation: take back what he said

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:found himself eating his words
Selected answer:take back what he said

05:35 May 29, 2014
    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2014-06-01 06:54:29 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)


English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Journalism
English term or phrase: found himself eating his words
One minute into Benjamin Netanyahu’s sit down with Pope Francis on Monday, the Israeli prime minster found himself eating his words—words about Jesus, no less.
Iberi (X)
take back what he said
Explanation:
Not sure what you're trying to ask, but this is a common expression.
Selected response from:

Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 19:43
Grading comment
Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +7take back what he said
Lincoln Hui
4he had to retract himself
airmailrpl


  

Answers


48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
take back what he said


Explanation:
Not sure what you're trying to ask, but this is a common expression.


    Reference: http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/eat+words
Lincoln Hui
Hong Kong
Local time: 19:43
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Thank you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty
33 mins

agree  luskie
58 mins

agree  Jenni Lukac (X)
1 hr

agree  Yvonne Gallagher
1 hr

agree  katsy
2 hrs

agree  acetran
1 day 8 hrs

agree  Cilian O'Tuama: or regret having said something
2 days 20 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
he had to retract himself


Explanation:
found himself eating his words => he had to retract himself

Papers Past — Otago Witness — 27 August 1896 ...
www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/.../paperspast?...
National Library of New Zealand
... having characterised Mr Longmore's assertions as untruthful) .lying statements found it rather a waste of adjectives, as he had to retract himself at the instance ...

Coffee and Health - Page 13 - Google Books Result
www.books.google.com/books?isbn=2742000372
Gérard Debry - 1994 - ‎Caffeine
He forbade coffee consumption as contrary to the Moslem religion but had to retract himself quickly when ordered to do so by his master, the Sultan of Egypt.

airmailrpl
Brazil
Local time: 08:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Cilian O'Tuama: retract his words might be better, no?
2 days 18 hrs
  -> not really - see the examples above
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