194.- Eat your words. Profesor

Eat your words

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2022/ep-220905

Summary

Feifei baked a cake, much to Rob’s delight. But when he hears what the ingredients are, he’s already made his mind up about how it’ll taste. Feifei has some advice about what he should eat next – and you can learn it too in this episode of The English We Speak.

Transcript

Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I’m Feifei…

Rob
…and I’m Rob. Hey, Feifei, someone told me that you’ve been baking.

Feifei
Yes, I have. I love baking, and I know you like eating cakes!

Rob
Yep, that’s great to hear – will there be anything for me to try, maybe?

Feifei
Maybe! I’ve been experimenting with a new vegan recipe that involves making a cake with cabbage and beetroot.

Rob
Cabbage and beetroot! Yuk! That sounds disgusting – if you want someone to try it, don’t ask me!

Feifei
Oh, Rob, you’ll eat your words.

Rob
Eat my words?! I’m sure my words will taste better than a cabbage and beetroot cake.

Feifei
No, Rob! I mean you’ll regret saying that. The phrase ‘eat your words’ means you will have to admit you were wrong about something you have said. And here are some more examples of people ‘eating their words’.

Examples
You said my coffee business wouldn’t work, but you’ll have to eat your words – it’s been a huge success.

Despite what I said, I’ll have to eat my words because my sister is now happily married to her first boyfriend.

You said I’d fail the exam, but I ended up with an A+ – you’ll have to eat your words now.

Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and I’m telling Rob he’ll be eating his words about my cooking – the phrase means to admit you’re wrong about something you have said. So, Rob, how about trying my cake before you decide you don’t like it?

Rob
OK, Feifei, but I know I won’t like it.

Feifei
Here, try this.

Rob
Are you sure you used cabbage and beetroot? This tastes like a normal cake.

Feifei
It is a normal cake, Rob – and I assume you like it?

Rob
Mmm, I must admit, I do. You know, it has inspired me to get baking – I’m off.

Feifei
Where are you going?

Rob
To bake a ‘word cake’ – so I can literally eat my words!

Feifei
Ha ha. Good luck. Bye.

Rob
Bye.