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rub salt in the wound. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
rub salt in the wound, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
rub salt in the wound in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
rub salt in the wound you have here. The definition of the word
rub salt in the wound will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
rub salt in the wound, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Derived from the stinging sensation of salt deliberately being rubbed into an open, bleeding wound.
Pronunciation
Verb
rub salt in the wound (third-person singular simple present rubs salt in the wound, present participle rubbing salt in the wound, simple past and past participle rubbed salt in the wound)
- (idiomatic) To aggravate or exacerbate a physical or emotional injury.
- Synonyms: add insult to injury, kick someone when they are down, twist the knife, rub it in; see also Thesaurus:make matters worse
2023 January 11, Richard Foster, “British Rail's weirdest railways...: Vale of Rheidol”, in RAIL, number 974, page 47:To rub further salt into the wound, the narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling stock received the new corporate blue livery and double arrows logo.
Usage notes
- For rub, one can substitute verbs such as add, pour, put, possibly requiring a change in the preposition in.
- See salt in the wound for variations in that portion of the expression.
Translations
to make an injury feel worse