engolir

Senses

1. 1.

   to swallow

   to cause food, drink, or other substances to pass from the mouth down the throat

2. 2.

   to swallow, to accept reluctantly

   to accept something difficult or unpleasant without protest (figurative)

3. 3.

   to hold back, to suppress

   to contain or suppress emotions, especially tears or anger

4. 4.

   to believe naively, to fall for

   to believe something false or unlikely without questioning (colloquial)

Examples

• "Ele não conseguia engolir a comida porque estava com a garganta inflamada."

  He couldn't swallow the food because his throat was inflamed.

• "Tive que engolir o orgulho e pedir desculpas."

  I had to swallow my pride and apologize.

• "Você realmente engoliu essa história? É óbvio que ele estava mentindo!"

  You actually fell for that story? It's obvious he was lying!

Usage

Common collocations include "engolir seco" (to swallow hard, showing nervousness), "engolir o choro" (to hold back tears), and "engolir sapo" (to put up with humiliation). The figurative uses are very frequent in everyday Brazilian Portuguese conversation.