"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last"

This quote by Winston Churchill is a metaphor for somebody who attempts to appease an opponent in order to prevent dispute. The crocodile in the metaphor represents the opponent, and the person feeding it is the appeaser. The quote indicates that the appeaser is naive in thinking that they can prevent dispute by calming the opponent. The quote suggests that the opponent will eventually turn on the appeaser, which the appeaser will be the last one consumed. This quote is a warning to those who think they can avoid conflict by appeasing an enemy. Churchill is cautioning that this strategy is eventually futile, which the enemy will eventually switch on the appeaser. The quote is a suggestion that it is much better to withstand an enemy than to attempt to calm them.