# swallow the leek

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/swallow-the-leek
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To change one's mind.

## Examples

- He had to swallow the leek and admit he was wrong.
- After arguing for hours that his plan was best, he finally had to swallow the leek when the data proved him wrong.
- The politician was forced to swallow the leek and support the new policy, despite having spent months campaigning against it in public.

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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.