zu Kreuze kriechen

Literally: “to crawl to the cross”.

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zu Kreuze kriechen (class 2 strong, third-person singular present kriecht zu Kreuze, past tense kroch zu Kreuze, past participle zu Kreuze gekrochen, auxiliary haben)

1. (idiomatic) to eat humble pie (humble oneself and make an apology or plea)

   Nachdem er so groß getönt hatte, er würde überall mit Kusshand genommen, musste er zu Kreuze kriechen und wieder um seinen alten Posten bitten.

   After he had loudly boasted that everywhere else they’d give an arm to have him, he had to eat humble pie and ask for his old position back.