[salt] n [ME, fr. OE sealt; akin to OHG salz salt, Lith saldus sweet, L sal salt, Gk hals salt, sea] (bef. 12c) 1 a: a crystalline compound NaCl that consists of sodium chloride, is abundant in nature, and is used esp. to season or preserve food or in industry--called also common salt b: a substance (as washing soda) resembling common salt c pl (1): a mineral or saline mixture (as Epsom salts) used as an aperient or cathartic (2): smelling salts d: any of numerous compounds that result from replacement of part or all of the acid hydrogen of an acid by a metal or a group acting like a metal: an ionic crystalline compound
2: a container for salt at table--often used in the phrases above the salt and below the salt alluding to the former custom of seating persons of higher rank above and those of lower rank below a saltcellar placed in the middle of a long table 3 a: an ingredient that gives savor, piquancy, or zest: flavor "a people ... full of life, vigor, and the ~ of personality --Clifton Fadiman" b: sharpness of wit: pungency c: common sense d: reserve, skepticism--usu. used in the phrases with a grain of salt and with a pinch of salt e: a dependable steadfast person or group of people--usu. used in the phrase salt of the earth
4: sailor "a tale worthy of an old ~"
5: keep 3--usu. used in the phrase worth one's salt -- salt.like adj
[2]salt vt (bef. 12c) 1 a: to treat, provide, or season with common salt b: to preserve (food) with salt or in brine c: to supply (as an animal) with salt
2: to give flavor or piquancy to (as a story)
3: to enrich (as a mine) artificially by secretly placing valuable mineral in some of the working places
4: to sprinkle with or as if with a salt -- salt.er n [3]salt adj (bef. 12c) 1 a: saline, salty b: being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is suggestive of seawater--compare bitter, sour, sweet
2: cured or seasoned with salt: salted
3: overflowed with salt water "a ~ pond"
4: sharp, pungent -- salt.ness n [4]salt adj [by shortening & alter. fr. assaut, fr. ME a sawt, fr. MF a saut, lit., on the jump] (1598) obs: lustful, lascivious