I'll Eat My Hat!

For at least three centuries, declaring I’ll eat my hat! has indicated that the speaker is so certain they’re right, that if they’re not, they’re willing to swallow their chapeau. Variations of this phrase include I’ll eat my boots, I’ll eat my cap, I’ll eat my bonnet, and I’ll eat my hat and then swallow my boots. The phrase I’ll eat my hat! has parallel expressions in a variety of languages, including French, Dutch, Italian, Russian, and Scandinavian languages. In German, a similar expression means “I’ll devour a broom,” while in Traditional Chinese, you can assert the same idea with a phrase that translates as “If I’m wrong, I’ll give you my head.” This is part of a complete episode.