TO EAT DIRT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To submit to insult; TO EAT BROILED CROW, or HUMBLE PIE (q.v.); to retract.
1854. WHYTE-MELVILLE, General Bounce, ch. x. Though they bow before a calf, is it not a golden one? though they ‘EAT DIRT,’ is it not dressed by a French cook?
1861. New York Evening Post, 4 Jan. After EATING so much DIRT, are we asked to swallow free soil?
TO FLING DIRT or MUD, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To abuse; to vituperate.
1689. SELDEN, Table Talk, p. 104 (ARBER’S ed). One that writes against his Adversary, and THROWS all the DIRT he can in his Face.
1705. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, vol. I., pt. ii., p. 11.
| Scurrility’s a useful trick, | |
| Approv’d by the most politick; | |
| FLING DIRT enough, and some will stick. |
1875. OUIDA, Signa, vol. I., ch. xv., p. 358. A wicked old tongue that could THROW DIRT with any man’s or woman’s either.
1885. J. S. WINTER, Bootles’ Baby, p. 66. I suppose he wants to daub Bootles with some of his own MUD. Thinks if he only THROWS enough some of it’s sure to stick.
TO CUT DIRT.—See CUT.
