Take something with a pinch of salt直譯是‘和一撮鹽吃下去’,意譯則是‘姑且聽著,不能盡信’.鹽在這怎么會有‘疑惑’意思呢?原來淡而寡味、人們不愛吃的東西,加一點調(diào)味的鹽,會比較容易下咽；同樣,難以教人相信的事,用一些動聽言詞說出來,人家往往也會有戒心,不敢盡信.所以,take something with a pinch of salt這句話含有疑惑意味,例如：
I took his explanation with a pinch of salt; I knew he was not a particularly honest man.（我聽了他的解釋,將信將疑；我知道他這個人不大老實.）