what does take it with a grain of salt mean

In English, this idiom appears in print as early as the 1600s.Īnother popular claim is that the original intention was not to figuratively invoke protection, but seasoning. So, the modern idiom, according to this theory, came from the idea that a grain of salt protected one from poison, which transferred eventually to protecting one from undue acceptance of misinformation or untrue, misleading, or exaggerated statements. This antidote was to be taken while fasting cum grano salis, or ‘with a grain of salt.’ Pliny, in Natural History, from the first century BC, told a tale about Pompey who, when he took over the palace of Mithrades discovered a poison antidote, composed of various ingredients. Some scholars think that the idiom began in Roman times, coming from the Latin cum grano salis, attributed to Pliny the Elder. But, why should a grain of salt allude to skepticism or disbelief? To take something with a grain of salt is one of many salt-related expressions in English and many other languages, along with many salt-related superstitions.Īs for idioms, the idioms worth one’s salt and salt of the earth are two familiar examples. “Sara says she has pneumonia so she can’t come to work.” “Take that with a grain of salt. “You should take lists of common idioms with a grain of salt as they are not based on any solid data.” “I take his wild stories with a grain of salt.

Usually, this idiom is not used to say something is an outright lie but that it is exaggerated or only partly correct. To take something with a grain of salt means to be skeptical about it to not consider something to be completely true or correct to have reservations about something. Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? Subscribe to our YouTube channel!

What does take it with a grain of salt mean