rub salt in the wound en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Derived from the stinging sensation of salt deliberately being rubbed into an open, bleeding wound.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) To aggravate or exacerbate a physical or emotional injury.
To rub further salt into the wound, the narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling stock received the new corporate blue livery and double arrows logo.
2023 January 11, Richard Foster, “British Rail's weirdest railways...: Vale of Rheidol”, in RAIL, number 974, page 47:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| rubbing salt in the wound | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| rubbed salt in the wound | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| rubbed salt in the wound | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| rubs salt in the wound | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| rub salt into the wounds | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rub salt into the wound | alternative | lexicographic | |
| rub salt in someone's wounds | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
add insult to injury · kick someone when they are down · kick a dog when it's down · fan the flames · rub it in · make matters worse · add fuel to the fire · twist the knife · rub it in · With malice · cap it all off · rub salt in the wound · twist the knife · punch down · hit someone when they are down · add insult to injury · strike someone when they are down · kick someone when they are down · put the boot in · throw gasoline on the fire
Translations (29)
el ρίχνω αλάτι στην πληγή (to make an injury feel worse) · ro a pune sare pe rană (to make an injury feel worse) · mr जखमेवर मिठ चोळणे (to make an injury feel worse) · pl posypywać rany solą (to make an injury feel worse) · no strø salt i såret (to make an injury feel worse) · bn কাটা ঘায়ে নুনের ছিটে (to make an injury feel worse) · es hechar sal en la herida (to make an injury feel worse) · pl posypać rany solą (to make an injury feel worse) · crh carağa tuz basmaq (to make an injury feel worse) · sv strö salt i såren (to make an injury feel worse) · el ξύνω πληγές (to make an injury feel worse) · de den Finger in die Wunde legen (to make an injury feel worse) · pt pôr o dedo na ferida (to make an injury feel worse) · ja 傷口に塩を塗る (to make an injury feel worse) · ko 불난 집에 부채질한다 (to make an injury feel worse) · de Salz in die Wunde streuen (to make an injury feel worse) · es frotar sal en la herida (to make an injury feel worse) · es hurgar en la herida (to make an injury feel worse) · he זָרָה מֶלַח עַל הַפְּצָעִים (to make an injury feel worse) · ru сы́пать соль на ра́ну (to make an injury feel worse) · it mettere il dito nella piaga (to make an injury feel worse) · fr remuer le couteau dans la plaie (to make an injury feel worse) · es meter el dedo en la herida (to make an injury feel worse) · hu sót dörzsöl a sebbe (to make an injury feel worse) · fi vääntää veistä haavassa (to make an injury feel worse) · pt esfregar sal na ferida (to make an injury feel worse) · cmn 雪上加霜 (to make an injury feel worse) · tr yaraya tuz basmak (to make an injury feel worse) · hi जले पर नमक छिड़कना (to make an injury feel worse)