What is a salt-worth?

To be 'worth one's salt' is to be worth one's pay. Our word salary derives from the Latin salarium, (sal is the Latin word for salt). There is some debate over the origin of the word salarium, but most scholars accept that it was the money allowed to Roman soldiers for the purchase of salt.

1. Is worth salt an idiom?
2. What does worth its weight in salt mean?
3. What does it mean when someone isn't worth their salt?
4. What is your salt?
5. What man is worth his salt?
6. What does it mean to eat someone's salt?
7. Where did the phrase not worth his salt come from?
8. What does back to the salt mines mean?
9. Are you on the up and up?
10. What is the meaning of he is not worth his salt if he fails at this juncture?
11. Was a loose end Meaning?
12. What does worth my while mean?
13. How valuable was salt in Rome?
14. What is the meaning of for the sake of?
15. Is worth his weight in gold?

Is worth salt an idiom?

If you say, for example, that any doctor worth his or her salt would do something, you mean that any doctor who was good at his or her job or who deserved respect would do it. Any coach worth his salt would do exactly as I did.

What does worth its weight in salt mean?

So, to say that someone is “worth one's salt,” it's a statement that acknowledges that they are competent, deserving, and–to put it simply–worthwhile. ... In fact, the phrase itself is thought to be rooted in Ancient Rome where soldiers were sometimes paid with salt or given an allowance to purchase salt.

What does it mean when someone isn't worth their salt?

Actually, what the phrase “not worth his salt” means is to be worth one's pay. Our word salary derives from the Latin word salarium (sal is the Latin word for salt), and literally means salt money. Salarium was the money paid to Roman soldiers that they used to purchase salt and other valuable items.

What is your salt?

Warranting respect in a certain field or area, typically because one does one's job well. Used directly after the person or thing being described. Any teacher worth his salt is able to inspire his students.

What man is worth his salt?

Worth Their Salt Meaning

Definition: to be worth one's wages or pay; a good employee; to be worthy or worthwhile. In other words, this idiom describes a person who deserves the pay he or she receives, or someone who is worth the cost.

What does it mean to eat someone's salt?

eat someone's salt

Rur. to be someone's guest. The least you can do when you're eating someone's salt is to help them out around the house.

Where did the phrase not worth his salt come from?

Roman soldiers were given money specifically to buy salt or were paid with salt, thus the word 'salary,' from the l*t*n 'salarium. ' Salt became equated with wages, so a person not worth his salt did not give value for money.

What does back to the salt mines mean?

Resume work, usually with some reluctance, as in With my slavedriver of a boss, even on Saturdays it's back to the salt mines. This term alludes to the Russian practice of punishing prisoners by sending them to work in the salt mines of Siberia.

Are you on the up and up?

Meaning: To say that something or someone is on the up and up means that the thing or person is legitimate, honest, respectable. See also: View examples in Google: On the up and up.

What is the meaning of he is not worth his salt if he fails at this juncture?

'Not worth his salt' means not worth the cost or value. E.g. The diamonds you are buying are not worth its salt as they are not shiny.

Was a loose end Meaning?

British. : not knowing what to do : not having anything in particular to do With everyone on vacation she was at a loose end. Drop by if you find yourself at a loose end this weekend.

What does worth my while mean?

make something worth one's while. Compensate one for one's time or efforts, as in If you take care of our yard while we're away, I'll make it worth your while. [Mid-1800s] Both usages employ while in the sense of “a period of time spent.”

How valuable was salt in Rome?

In Roman times, and throughout the Middle Ages, salt was a valuable commodity, also referred to as "white gold." This high demand for salt was due to its important use in preserving food, especially meat and fish. Being so valuable, soldiers in the Roman army were sometimes paid with salt instead of money.

What is the meaning of for the sake of?

If you do something for the sake of something, you do it for that purpose or in order to achieve that result. You can also say that you do it for something's sake.

Is worth his weight in gold?

If we say that someone or something is worth their weight in gold, we mean that they are extremely useful. ... A good assistant is worth their weight in gold.