Salt the earth

Meaning

Leave nothing profitable behind in defeat or withdrawal.

Usage

Used metaphorically when someone resorts to total destruction.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

The Bible tells of Abimelech sowing Shechem with salt (Judges 9:45); the story of Romans salting Carthage is a later myth.

The biblical image is ancient; the idiom is modern.