salt
♦ salt /s'ɔːlt/ (salts salting salted)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Salt is a strong-tasting substance, in the form of white powder or crystals, which is used to improve the flavour of food or to preserve it. Salt occurs naturally in sea water.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
...a pinch of salt.
2 [VERB] V n
When you salt food, you add salt to it.
Salt the stock to your taste and leave it simmering very gently.
● salted [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Put a pan of salted water on to boil.
3 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Salts are substances that are formed when an acid reacts with an alkali.
The rock is rich in mineral salts.
4
see also Epsom salts, smelling salts
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take something with a pinch of salt, you do not believe that it is completely accurate or true.
The more miraculous parts of this account should be taken with a pinch of salt.
6 [PHRASE] n PHR
If you say, for example, that any doctor worth his or her salt would do something, you mean that any doctor who was good at his or her job or who deserved respect would do it.
Any coach worth his salt would do exactly as I did.
7 [PHRASE] V and wound inflect
If someone or something rubs salt into the wound, they make the unpleasant situation that you are in even worse, often by reminding you of your failures or faults.
I had no intention of rubbing salt into a friend's wounds, so all I said was that I did not give interviews.rock salt
[N-UNCOUNT]
Rock salt is salt that is formed in the ground. It is obtained by mining.salt cel|lar (salt cellars)
[N-COUNT]
A salt cellar is a small container for salt with a hole or holes in the top for shaking salt onto food. (BRIT; in AM, use salt shaker)salt marsh (salt marshes)
[N-VAR]
A salt marsh is an area of flat, wet ground which is sometimes covered by salt water or contains areas of salt water.salt shak|er (salt shakers)
[N-COUNT]
A salt shaker is the same as a salt cellar. (mainly AM)salt wa|ter
also saltwater
[N-UNCOUNT]
Salt water is water from the sea, which has salt in it.
≠ fresh water
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Salt is a strong-tasting substance, in the form of white powder or crystals, which is used to improve the flavour of food or to preserve it. Salt occurs naturally in sea water.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
...a pinch of salt.
2 [VERB] V n
When you salt food, you add salt to it.
Salt the stock to your taste and leave it simmering very gently.
● salted [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Put a pan of salted water on to boil.
3 [N-COUNT] usu pl
Salts are substances that are formed when an acid reacts with an alkali.
The rock is rich in mineral salts.
4
see also Epsom salts, smelling salts
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take something with a pinch of salt, you do not believe that it is completely accurate or true.
The more miraculous parts of this account should be taken with a pinch of salt.
6 [PHRASE] n PHR
If you say, for example, that any doctor worth his or her salt would do something, you mean that any doctor who was good at his or her job or who deserved respect would do it.
Any coach worth his salt would do exactly as I did.
7 [PHRASE] V and wound inflect
If someone or something rubs salt into the wound, they make the unpleasant situation that you are in even worse, often by reminding you of your failures or faults.
I had no intention of rubbing salt into a friend's wounds, so all I said was that I did not give interviews.rock salt
[N-UNCOUNT]
Rock salt is salt that is formed in the ground. It is obtained by mining.salt cel|lar (salt cellars)
[N-COUNT]
A salt cellar is a small container for salt with a hole or holes in the top for shaking salt onto food. (BRIT; in AM, use salt shaker)salt marsh (salt marshes)
[N-VAR]
A salt marsh is an area of flat, wet ground which is sometimes covered by salt water or contains areas of salt water.salt shak|er (salt shakers)
[N-COUNT]
A salt shaker is the same as a salt cellar. (mainly AM)salt wa|ter
also saltwater
[N-UNCOUNT]
Salt water is water from the sea, which has salt in it.
≠ fresh water