The act of moving food or liquid down your throat into your stomach, or accepting something difficult without complaint.
From Old English 'swelgan' (to swallow), related to Germanic languages. The metaphorical meaning of 'accepting something unwanted' developed from the physical act of pushing something down.
The phrase 'swallowing your pride' uses the physical act as a perfect metaphor—just like you force down something bitter, you force down your emotions and accept a difficult situation, making the body's action describe the mind's struggle.
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