Lewis & Short

1. sălĭo (sall-), no perf., ītum, 4 (collat. form sălo or sallo, no perf., salsum, 3: salunt, Varr. ap. Diom. p. 372 P.: salerent, Sall. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 909: salere, Lucil. ib.: salsurus, Mummius ap. Prisc. p. 910 P.; part. salsus, v. infra P. a.), v. a. [sal].

  1. I. To salt down, to salt: pernas, Cato ap. Varr. R. R. 1, 2 fin.: oleas caducas, Cato, R. R. 23, 1: pisces, Sisenn. ap. Prisc. p. 909 P.; Cels. 2, 18: saliturus istaec mittam salem, Naev. ap. Prisc. p. 910 P.: saliti pumiliones, Corn. Sev. ib.; so in part. perf.: caro salita, Fabian. ap. Diom. p. 372: thynnus, Col. 6, 32, 2 et saep.; Vulg. Ezech. 16, 4.
  2. II. To sprinkle before sacrifice (eccl. Lat.): omnis victima sale salietur, Vulg. Marc. 9, 48; cf.: igne salietur, id. ib.
    Hence, salsus, a, um, P. a., salted, salt.
    1. A. Lit., Plaut. Cas. 2, 3, 6: hoc salsum’st, is too salt, Ter. Ad. 3, 3, 71: caseus, Col. 12, 59, 1: fruges (as a sacrifice), Verg. A. 2, 133; cf. farra, Ov. F. 3, 284 (v. mola): (gravidae) salsioribus cibis usae, Plin. 7, 6, 5, § 42: salsissimus sal qui siccissimus, id. 31, 7, 41, § 85.
      A poet. epithet of the sea, of blood, of tears, etc., salt, briny: mare, Enn. ap. Macr. 6, 4 (Ann. v. 453 Vahl.); id. ap. Non. 183, 19 (Trag. v. 145 ib.); cf. aequor, Lucr. 3, 493; 5, 128; 6, 634: vada, Cat. 64, 6; Verg. A. 5, 158: e salso momine ponti, Lucr. 6, 474: fluctus, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 2: undae, Lucr. 6, 891; 6, 894: gurges, id. 5, 482; hence, comically, of shipwrecked persons, Plaut. Rud. 2, 1, 12; 2, 6, 33: sanguis, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Trag. v. 168 Vahl.); Att. ap. Non. 192, 2: heu! qui salsis fluctibus mandet me? id. ap. Cic. Tusc. 2, 7, 19 (Trag. v. 562 Rib.): lacrimae, Lucr. 1,125; 1, 920; cf.: guttae lacrimarum, Att. ap. Non. 503, 29: sputa, Lucr. 6, 1189: sudor, Verg. A. 2, 173: rubigo, id. G. 2, 220.
      In plur. subst.: salsa, ōrum, n., salted things, salted food, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 32.
      Sup. salsissimus; hence, mare salsissimum, the Dead Sea, Vulg. Num. 34, 3 et saep.
    2. B. Trop. (acc. to sal, II.), sharp, acute, witty, facetious (syn.: facetus, dicax, lepidus, urbanus): accedunt non Attici, sed salsiores quam illi Atticorum, Romani veteres atque urbani sales, Cic. Fam. 9, 15, 2: genus est perelegans et cum gravitate salsum, etc., id. de Or. 2, 67, 270 sq.; cf. id. ib. 2, 63, 255; 2, 56, 228; id. Or. 26, 90: salsum in consuetudine pro ridiculo tantum accepimus. Quint. 6, 3, 18 sq.; 6, 3, 39: salso multoque fluenti (sermone) regerit convicia, Hor. S. 1, 7, 28; 1, 9, 65.
      In neutr. plur. subst.: inveni ridicula et salsa multa Graecorum, Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 217: De Ηρακλειδείὡ Varronis, negotia salsa, are humorous, merry stories, id. Att. 16, 12 fin.
      Of persons: esse quamvis facetum atque salsum, non nimis est per se ipsum invidendum, Cic. de Or. 2, 56, 228; id. Phil. 2, 17, 42; Cat. 14, 16.
      Adv.: salsē, wittily, acutely, facetiously (acc. to B.): dicere aliquid, Cic. de Or. 2, 68, 275; Quint. 6, 3, 13; 6, 3, 30; 6, 3, 89; 6, 3, 101.
      Sup. salsissime, Cic. de Or. 2, 54, 221.