# eat my shorts

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/eat-my-shorts
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An irreverent rebuke or dismissal.

## Examples

- If you think I am doing your chores, you can eat my shorts.
- When the bully demanded my lunch money, I told him to eat my shorts and walked away.
- The defiant teenager looked at the strict headmaster and told him to eat my shorts before storming out of the office.

## Origin

Popularised by the television series The Simpsons in 1989, where the phrase served as a catchphrase for the character Bart Simpson.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.