Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
Take it with a grain of salt
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Take it with a grain of salt" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourProblem Solving & Interaction collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
Take it with a grain of salt
To view a statement, promise, or piece of information with skepticism or suspicion, recognizing that it may not be completely accurate or true.
History & Origin
The phrase traces back to the ancient Roman scholar Pliny the Elder in 77 AD, who recorded a recipe for an antidote to poison discovered by King Mithridates VI. The recipe famously required mixing various ingredients 'with a grain of salt' to help the body swallow or digest the potential toxins. Over time, this medical idea of using salt to make something dangerous safe evolved into a metaphor for using skepticism to neutralize doubtful information.
Examples
The client promised they would sign the contract by Friday, but given their previous delays, we should probably take it with a grain of salt.
My brother says he can run a marathon under three hours, but I take everything he boasts about with a grain of salt.
When analyzing self-reported consumer data, researchers must take the initial surveys with a grain of salt due to potential participant bias.
Financial analysts warn investors to take the startup's aggressive growth projections with a grain of salt until audited revenue figures are released.
While we welcome the advisory committee's enthusiastic feedback, we ought to take their predictions with a grain of salt until we verify the economic metrics.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. The soup was completely tasteless, so the chef decided to take it with a grain of salt before serving it to the guests.
B. Since the local tabloid is known for exaggerating gossip, you should take their latest celebrity rumors with a grain of salt.
C. She was so angry about losing the match that she took it with a grain of salt and refused to shake her opponent's hand.
D. The teacher told the students that if they studied hard every single day, they would easily take the final exam with a grain of salt.