teɪk ɪt wɪð ə ɡreɪn əv sɔːlt
Food & Cooking
neutral
beginner
- Literally:
- Taking something along with a small amount of salt
What does "take it with a grain of salt" mean?
- To be skeptical about something
- Not to take something too seriously
Examples
- Take his promises with a grain of salt.
- Online reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.
- I take weather forecasts with a grain of salt.
Origin
From Latin 'cum grano salis.' Salt was thought to be an antidote to poison—taking advice 'with salt' meant being cautious.
How to use it
Useful advice about unreliable sources. Very common expression.
Similar expressions
be skeptical
don't take too seriously
be cautious
Opposites
take at face value
believe completely
accept uncritically
Related idioms
- piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- a piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- in a nutshell
In a very brief or concise form
- an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Eating fruit or having a healthy diet helps maintain good health
- bite off more than you can chew
To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle
- don't put all your eggs in one basket
Don't risk everything on a single opportunity
Use it in a practice answer
Try "take it with a grain of salt" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.