Search results for 'salt':

SALT abbreviation Strategic Arms Limitation Talks or Treaty.

salt noun 1 sodium chloride, especially as used to season and preserve food. 2 a saltcellar. 3 chem a chemical compound that is formed when an acid reacts with a base. 4 liveliness; interest, wit or good sense • Her opinion added salt to the debate. 5 (also old salt) an experienced and usually old sailor. 6 (salts) smelling-salts. 7 (salts) any substance resembling salt in appearance or taste, especially a medicine • Epsom salts. 8 a salting or salt marsh. adj 1 containing salt • salt water. 2 tasting of salt. 3 preserved or cured with salt • salt pork. 4 covered over with or immersed in salt water. 5 said of a plant: growing in salt soil. verb (salted, salting) 1 to season or preserve (food) with salt. 2 to cover (an icy road) with a scattering of salt to melt the ice. 3 to add piquancy, interest or wit to something. 4 mining slang to add gold, precious ore, etc to (a mine) to give a deceptive appearance of riches to the mine. saltish adj. saltishness noun. saltless adj. saltly adverb. lay, put or cast salt on someone's tail to find or catch someone, from the humorously recommended method of catching a bird. go through something like a dose of salts colloq to do or finish it very quickly. rub salt in someone's wounds to add to their discomfort, sorrow, shame, etc. the salt of the earth a consistently reliable or dependable person. take something with a pinch of salt to treat a statement or proposition sceptically, or with suspicion and reservation. worth one's salt competent or useful; worthy of respect.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon.