What Does "Rub Salt in the Wound" Mean?
"Rub salt in the wound" is an English idiom. It means "to worsen someone's distress, pain, or disappointment by making a situation even more hurtful or humiliating."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "rub salt in the wound" used in a sentence:- He couldn't resist the urge to rub salt in the wound by mocking her in front of their colleagues.
- Bringing up her recent failures was like rubbing salt in the wound, and it only deepened her sense of defeat.
- In the midst of their argument, she managed to rub salt in his wound by revealing a secret he had kept hidden.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Rub Salt in the Wound" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "rub salt in the wound" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
