salty

/'sɔ:lti/

Thân thiện

The chef tastes the salty soup.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having the taste of salt: The primary meaning describes the basic taste sensation similar to that of salt or sea water.
   • Containing or seasoned with salt: Refers to food or substances that have salt added to them or naturally contain salt.
   • Sharp, witty, or piquant: Used figuratively to describe language, humor, or remarks that are lively, provocative, or slightly risqué.
   • Tasting of or smelling of the sea: Evocative of the sea, often describing air or a breeze.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective (Taste/Content):
  • The soup is too salty. (It has an excessive salt flavor.)
  • They avoided salty snacks like chips. (They avoided snacks containing a lot of salt.)
• Adjective (Figurative: Witty/Sharp):
  • He told a salty anecdote that made everyone laugh. (He told a witty, slightly provocative story.)
  • The book is filled with salty dialogue. (The book contains sharp, lively conversation.)
• Adjective (Of the sea):
  • We could smell the salty air from the beach. (We could smell the sea air.)

Advanced Usage

• "Salty" as slang (informal): In modern informal contexts, especially online, "salty" can describe someone who is irritated, resentful, or upset, often in a petty or bitter way.
  • He got really salty after losing the game. (He became very irritated and resentful after losing.)
• "Old salt": This idiom refers to an experienced sailor. While not using "salty" directly, it shares the nautical connection.
  • The old salt told us stories about his voyages. (The experienced sailor told us stories.)

Variants and Related Words

• Salt (n): The white crystalline substance (sodium chloride) used for seasoning.
  • Add a pinch of salt.
• Salt (v): To add salt to something.
  • Salt the pasta water.
• Saltiness (n): The quality or degree of being salty.
  • The saltiness of the ocean water.

Synonyms

• Brackish: Slightly salty, often used for water that is a mix of fresh and salt water.
• Briny: Salty, pertaining to the sea or salt water.
• Piquant: Having a pleasantly sharp or spicy taste; can also mean stimulatingly interesting (similar to the figurative use of "salty").
• Witty: Showing quick and inventive verbal humor.

Related Phrases

• Salty dog: A seasoned sailor (similar to "old salt"); also the name of a cocktail.
  • He's a real salty dog, having spent 40 years at sea.
• Salty language: Speech that is coarse, profane, or earthy.
  • The coach was known for his salty language during practice.

Idioms

• Worth one's salt: To be efficient and capable; to deserve one's pay. (This idiom uses "salt," historically valuable as a form of payment.)
  • Any engineer worth her salt can fix this problem. (Any competent engineer can fix this.)
• Rub salt in the wound: To make a bad situation even worse for someone.
  • Losing was bad enough, but his teasing just rubbed salt in the wound.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. one of the four basic taste sensations; like the taste of sea water
2. containing or filled with salt
   • salt water
3. engagingly stimulating or provocative
   • a piquant wit
   • salty language

Từ đồng nghĩa

• piquant