sɔ:lt n.,
adj., & v. --n. 1 (also
common salt)
sodium chloride;
the substance that gives
sea water its characteristic taste,
got in
crystalline form by mining
from strata consisting of it or by the evaporation of sea water,
and used
for seasoning or preserving
food, or for
other purposes. 2 a
chemical compound formed from the
reaction of an
acid with a base, with
all or
part of the
hydrogen of the acid replaced by a
metal or metal-like
radical. 3
sting; piquancy; pungency; wit (added salt to the conversation). 4 (in
sing. or pl.) a a substance resembling salt in taste, form, etc. (bath salts; Epsom salts; smelling-salts). b (esp. in pl.)
this type of substance used as a
laxative. 5 a
marsh,
esp.
one flooded by the
tide,
often used as a
pasture or for collecting water for salt-making. 6 (also
old salt) an
experienced sailor. 7 (in pl.) an
exceptional rush of sea water up
river. --adj. 1 impregnated with, containing, or
tasting of salt; cured or preserved or seasoned with salt. 2 (of a plant) growing in the sea or in salt marshes. 3 (of tears etc.)
bitter. 4 (of wit)
pungent. --v.tr. 1
cure or
preserve with salt or
brine. 2
season with salt. 3
make (a
narrative etc.)
piquant. 4
sprinkle (the ground etc.) with salt esp. in
order to
melt snow etc. 5
treat with a
solution of salt or
mixture of salts. 6 (as salted adj.) (of a
horse or person) hardened or
proof against diseases etc. caused by the
climate or by
special conditions. øeat salt with be a
guest of. in salt sprinkled with salt or immersed in brine as a
preservative.
not made of salt not disconcerted by
wet weather. put salt on the tail of
capture (with
ref. to
jocular directions
given to
children for
catching a bird). salt an
account sl. set an extremely
high or low
price for articles. salt-and-pepper (of materials etc. and esp. of hair) with
light and
dark colours
mixed together. salt
away (or down) sl. put
money etc.
by. salt the books sl.
show receipts as larger
than they really have been. salt-cat a mass of salt mixed with
gravel,
urine,
etc., to
attract pigeons and
keep them at
home. salt
dome a mass of salt forced up
into sedimentary rocks. salt fish W.Ind. preserved
cod. salt-glaze a
hard stoneware glaze produced by throwing salt into a
hot kiln containing the ware. salt-grass US
grass growing in salt meadows or in
alkaline regions. salt horse Naut. sl. 1 salt
beef. 2 a
naval officer with
general duties. salt lake a lake of salt water. salt-lick 1 a
place where animals go to
lick salt from the ground. 2 this salt. salt-marsh =
sense 5 of n. salt
meadow a meadow
subject to flooding with salt water. salt a mine sl.
introduce extraneous ore,
material, etc., to make the
source seem rich. the salt of the
earth a
person or
people of
great worthiness, reliability,
honesty, etc.;
those whose qualities are a
model for the rest (Matt. 5:13). salt-pan a
vessel, or a
depression near the sea, used for getting salt by evaporation. salt-shaker US a
container of salt for
sprinkling on food. salt-spoon a
small spoon usu. with a
short handle and a roundish
deep bowl for
taking table salt. salt water 1 sea water. 2 sl. tears. salt-water adj. of or
living in the sea. salt-well a bored well
yielding brine. salt-works a place where salt is produced.
take with a
pinch (or grain) of salt
regard as exaggerated; be
incredulous about;
believe only part of.
worth one's salt
efficient,
capable. øøsaltish adj. saltless adj. saltly adv. saltness n. [OE s(e)alt s(e)altan,
OS,
ON,
Goth. salt, OHG salz f. Gmc]