Take It with a Grain of Salt
Meaning: Don’t believe something completely; treat it with a little doubt.
To “take something with a grain of salt” means not to believe it completely. The idea is that the information might not be totally true or should be viewed with doubt. For example, “He exaggerates a lot, so take what he says with a grain of salt.”
How to use it
Use it when a claim might be exaggerated, one-sided or from a source you don’t fully trust. It sounds natural in everyday conversation and at work, and it isn’t rude. You’ll usually hear it as “take it with a grain of salt” or “take what he says with a grain of salt.” In British English, “a pinch of salt” is more common.
Examples
- The reviews are all five stars, but I’d take them with a grain of salt.
- She tends to exaggerate, so take her stories with a grain of salt.
- These numbers are early estimates. Take them with a grain of salt until the final report is out.
A common mistake
The phrase is fixed: take something with a grain of salt (or a pinch of salt). Don’t say “with a salt” or “with some salts,” and don’t use it to mean adding flavor. It’s only about doubt.
Where it comes from
The idea is often traced to Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer who described an antidote to poison taken “with a grain of salt.” The figurative meaning, accepting something only with caution, appeared in English in the 1600s.
Say it out loud
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Source: Reader’s Digest