English Explanatory Dictionary

rub salt in someone's wounds

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To make a painful situation even worse (even with the best of intentions).

Pronunciation

En-au-rub salt in someone's wounds.ogg

Word forms

rub salt in someone's wounds rubs salt in someone's wounds rubbing salt in someone's wounds rubbed salt in someone's wounds rub salt in the wound

Etymology

From the practice of using salt to inhibit infection of open wounds.

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