Idiom
take it with a grain of salt
Meanings
To be skeptical about a statement and not believe it completely.
Definition
To take it with a grain of salt means to not fully believe something and to remain skeptical.
If you take it with a grain of salt, you listen to information but do not accept it as completely true. You think it might be exaggerated, biased, or missing important details. It is often used with rumors, advice, or claims from unreliable sources.
Examples
- I’d take it with a grain of salt—he often exaggerates.
- Take it with a grain of salt, but I heard the store is closing.
- She said the test was easy, but take it with a grain of salt.
- I take it with a grain of salt whenever advice comes from strangers online.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- drop the ball To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something important that you were responsibl…
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a friendly, informal chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of your actions or a difficult situation.