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• attic salt
  attic salt

  noun

  dry, delicate wit.
• Attic salt
  Attic salt

  noun

  refined incisive wit

attic salt

American  

noun

1. dry, delicate wit.

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Attic salt British  

noun

1. refined incisive wit

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Etymology

Origin of attic salt

First recorded in 1750–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

attic salt Attic salt

There is the attic salt which springs from the charm in the words, from the flash of wit, from the spirited and brilliant sally.

From Book of Wise Sayings Selected Largely from Eastern Sources by Clouston, William Alexander

Alas, if I had only taken the supposed rapidity of my progress with a grain of attic salt!

From Atlantic Classics by Various

Between the acts, our two Greek statues criticised the audience in loud tones, and their remarks, seasoned with attic salt, afforded a peculiar supplement to the choir of Antigone.

From The Cross of Berny by Fendall, Florence

There would not be enough attic salt in it to save it.

From Love, Life & Work Being a Book of Opinions Reasonably Good-Natured Concerning How to Attain the Highest Happiness for One's Self with the Least Possible Harm to Others by Hubbard, Elbert

What he really needs is a pinch of Attic salt.

From Time Magazine Archive

Once a very clever Cambridge man said that it meant "the thing must be swallowed with a little Attic salt to make it go down pleasantly."

From Notes and Queries, Number 66, February 1, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Bell, George

Who for an epigram would try, nor fail, Puts Attic salt upon his verse's tail.

From A Century of Emblems by Cautley, G. S.

Let the sprightly epigram never lighten the long periods of your speech nor the Attic salt flavour the roast beef of your conversation.

From Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honor by Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset)

He was rich in the kind of Attic salt which, was characteristic of Boston in the middle century; the product of an almost excessive culture erected on sound, native brains.

From Hawthorne and His Circle by Hawthorne, Julian