{v. phr.} To take back something you have said; admit something is not true. * /John had called Harry a coward, but the boys made him eat his words after Harry bravely fought a big bully./ Compare: EAT CROW.
SWALLOW ONE'S WORDS
Meaning of SWALLOW ONE'S WORDS in English
Slang English vocab. Английский сленговый словарь. 2012