The idiom "pour salt into the wound" means to make a bad situation even worse by adding insult to injury. It is used when someone says or does something that makes a difficult or painful situation even more unbearable.
For example, if someone has just lost their job and is feeling upset, telling them that they deserved to be fired would be like pouring salt into the wound. It would make them feel even worse than they already do.
The phrase comes from the idea that salt is a painful irritant when it comes into contact with an open wound. So, adding salt to a wound would make it hurt even more.
In everyday conversation, you might use this idiom when someone is already upset or angry about something and you say something that makes them feel even worse. It's important to be careful with your words and actions, especially when someone is already going through a tough time.
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• It was bad enough that I failed the exam, but when my teacher made a snarky comment about it, it was like pouring salt into the wound.
• When my team lost the championship game, the opposing team's fans poured salt into the wound by chanting "loser" at us.
• I accidentally spilled your drink on your new shirt, and now I feel terrible. I don't want to pour salt into the wound by apologizing too much.
• After my friend lost her job, her ex-boyfriend decided to pour salt into the wound by calling her and saying he never thought she was good enough.
• The company's CEO was already under fire for unethical practices, but when it was revealed that he had been embezzling money, it was like pouring salt into the wound for shareholders and employees alike.
• My sister was already upset about her breakup, but when her ex started dating her best friend, it was like pouring salt into the wound.