take sth. with a grain of salt 这个习语的字面意思是“和一撮盐一起吃下去”,为什么要与盐一起吃呢?
据说这个习语要追溯到罗马时代,罗马将军庞培曾发现一种解毒剂,必须和着一小把盐才服得下去。解毒剂难咽,加了盐也许好咽些,于是这句习语用于描述对一些不靠谱的,值得怀疑的东西,得“和着盐”才能勉强接受。
现在,对某件事情或某人说的话有所保留,将信将疑,持怀疑态度,就可以说 take it with a grain of salt.
英文注释是:To take something with a grain of salt means to accept it but to maintain a degree of skepticism about its truth.
例句:
1)Uncle Bill tells some stories, but we take what he says with a grain of salt because he sometimes likes to exaggerate or makes
things up.
比尔大叔讲了好些事情,不过对他所说的要有所保留,有时他喜欢把事情夸大。
2)This is only a sort of handout. You may take it with a grain of salt.
这只是一份分发的资料,你大可以不必相信。
3)Horoscope is fun, but it’s not necessarily accurate. I always take it with a grain of salt.
星座这东西很有趣,但是并不一定准确。我对它一向将信将疑。