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Thread: take something with a grain of salt

  1. 05-Nov-2010, 14:16 #1
    ostap77
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    Default take something with a grain of salt

    What's the meaning of the idiom "to take something with a grain of salt"?
    Last edited by ostap77; 05-Nov-2010 at 15:04.
  2. 05-Nov-2010, 14:55 #2
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    Default Re: take something with a grain of salt

    Quote Originally Posted by ostap77 View Post
    What's the meaning of the idiom "to take somethimg with a grain of salt"?
    Be careful about believing it. Don't take it too seriously. I use pinch rather than grain. This may be a BrE/AmE difference.
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  3. 05-Nov-2010, 21:22 #3
    birdeen's call
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    Default Re: take something with a grain of salt

    "Grain" is perhaps better justified etymologically. The Latin original is "cum grano salis", and grain is the English version of Latin "granum". Wikipedia has an article on this.
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  4. 08-Nov-2010, 11:03 #4
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    Default Re: take something with a grain of salt

    Quote Originally Posted by fivejedjon View Post
    Be careful about believing it. Don't take it too seriously. I use pinch rather than grain. This may be a BrE/AmE difference.
    That right. In AmE, grain is the unit we use.
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  5. 13-Nov-2010, 01:29 #5
    ackeiyword
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    Default Re: take something with a grain of salt

    It means that don't believe in sonethign absolutely or totally ,listen to something with doubt.
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