English idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

To treat something as not fully reliable or true.

Why this phrase?

From the old idea that a pinch of salt made dubious claims easier to swallow.

Example

“He exaggerates, so take his story with a grain of salt.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

leap of faith

an act of trusting or committing without evidence or guarantees

test the waters

to try something cautiously before committing fully to it

think twice

to reconsider an action carefully before doing it

when pigs fly

Used to say that something will never happen.

for good measure

as an extra addition beyond what is strictly necessary

jump to conclusions

to form an opinion too quickly, before considering enough evidence

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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