pickle

¹

[ pik-uhl ]

noun

1. a cucumber that has been preserved in brine, vinegar, or the like.
2. Often pickles. any other vegetable, as cauliflower, celery, etc., preserved in vinegar and eaten as a relish.
3. something preserved in a brine or marinade.
4. a liquid usually prepared with salt or vinegar for preserving or flavoring fish, meat, vegetables, etc.; brine or marinade.
5. Metallurgy. an acid or other chemical solution in which metal objects are dipped to remove oxide scale or other adhering substances.
6. Informal. a troublesome or awkward situation; predicament:

   I was in a pickle after the check bounced.

   Synonyms: jam, scrape, bind, fix, quandary, plight

7. Informal. a sour, disagreeable person.

verb (used with object)

, pick·led, pick·ling.

1. to preserve or steep in brine or other liquid.
2. to treat with a chemical solution, as for the purpose of cleaning.
3. to give a pale, streaked finish to (wood) by applying and partly removing paint or by bleaching, as to give an appearance of age.
4. Slang. to store; prepare for long-range storage:

   Let's pickle these old cars for a few years.

pickle

²

[ pik-uhl ]

noun

, Scot. and North England.

1. a single grain or kernel, as of barley or corn.
2. a small amount; a little.

pickle

/ ˈpɪkəl /

noun

1. often plural vegetables, such as cauliflowers, onions, etc, preserved in vinegar, brine, etc
2. any food preserved in this way
3. a liquid or marinade, such as spiced vinegar, for preserving vegetables, meat, fish, etc
4. a cucumber that has been preserved and flavoured in a pickling solution, such as brine or vinegar
5. informal.
   an awkward or difficult situation

   to be in a pickle

6. informal.
   a mischievous child

verb

1. to preserve in a pickling liquid
2. to immerse (a metallic object) in a liquid, such as an acid, to remove surface scale

Derived Forms

• ˈpickler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pickle¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pikel, pikkel “spicy sauce or gravy,” from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pekel(e), peeckel “brine, pickle”

Origin of pickle²

First recorded in 1545–55; of uncertain origin; perhaps noun use of pickle “to take tiny bits of food in eating,” frequentative of pick ¹; -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of pickle¹

C14: perhaps from Middle Dutch pekel; related to German Pökel brine

Idioms and Phrases

see in a fix (pickle) .

Example Sentences

It’s a really nice quiet restaurant and I get my combo plate with broiled salmon, tamagoyaki, soup, rice and little pickles.

From Los Angeles Times

Dodgers fans like Weaver with namesakes on the Bronx Bombers are in a bit of a pickle this fall, caught between the team they support and the American League stalwart whose name they share.

From Los Angeles Times

So the state government is in a pickle.

From Los Angeles Times

The easiest way to cut down on food waste is to use everything – for stocks, for sauces, for garnishes, to pickle, you name it!

From Salon

I eat a French dip sandwich and a pickled egg that stains my fingertips purple at Philippe’s and feel satiated.

From Los Angeles Times