put salt on someone's tail

English

Alternative forms

• lay salt on someone's tail

Etymology

Alluding to an old folk saying about how to catch birds.

Verb

put salt on someone's tail (third-person singular simple present puts salt on someone's tail, present participle putting salt on someone's tail, simple past and past participle put salt on someone's tail)

1. To capture or pin down someone.
   • 2013, Edward Short, Newman and his Family, page 322:

     This accurately describes the many biographers who have tried and failed to get close enough to Newman to put salt on his tail.