ELI5: what does 'take it with a grain of salt' mean
// explanation
What does 'take it with a grain of salt' mean?
When someone says to take something "with a grain of salt," they mean you shouldn't believe it completely [2]. It's like when your friend tells you they saw a dinosaur—you can listen to the story, but you know it's probably not true [1].
Why use salt?
Salt is just a tiny, tiny amount of something [5]. The phrase means that what someone is telling you is only a little bit believable or important, so you only need a tiny bit of belief [3].
When do you use it?
You use this phrase when someone tells you something that might be exaggerated, fake, or not completely true [2]. Maybe your older brother says he can jump really high—you might take that claim "with a grain of salt" because he might be bragging [1].
How do you use it?
Just tell someone, "Take that story with a grain of salt," and they'll know you mean "don't believe everything you just heard" [2].
// sources
Feb 18, 2014 ... Taking something with a grain of salt is like saying, "that is a lie and lies are poison. take your poison with a grain of salt." Or "Your ...
To take something with a "grain of salt" or "pinch of salt" is an English idiom that suggests to view something, specifically claims that may be misleading ...
Apr 20, 2011 ... The Latin phrase is found in English literature in the 1600s and 1700s, and salis appears to precisely mean 'good sense, intelligence'. For ...
Feb 11, 2025 ... What does take it with a grain of salt mean? ... The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) defines take it with a grain of salt as “to accept a ...
Aug 25, 2017 ... "Take it with a grain of salt" means the subject is insignificant and would only require a grain to affect it. "Take it with a large grain of ...
Video by Essential English and Idioms
Video by Emma's English Corner
Video by Rachel's English
