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pickle
1[ pik-uhl ]
noun
- a cucumber that has been preserved in brine, vinegar, or the like.
- Often pickles. any other vegetable, as cauliflower, celery, etc., preserved in vinegar and eaten as a relish.
- something preserved in a brine or marinade.
- a liquid usually prepared with salt or vinegar for preserving or flavoring fish, meat, vegetables, etc.; brine or marinade.
- Metallurgy. an acid or other chemical solution in which metal objects are dipped to remove oxide scale or other adhering substances.
- Informal. a troublesome or awkward situation; predicament:
I was in a pickle after the check bounced.
- Informal. a sour, disagreeable person.
verb (used with object)
- to preserve or steep in brine or other liquid.
- to treat with a chemical solution, as for the purpose of cleaning.
- to give a pale, streaked finish to (wood) by applying and partly removing paint or by bleaching, as to give an appearance of age.
- Slang. to store; prepare for long-range storage:
Let's pickle these old cars for a few years.
pickle
2[ pik-uhl ]
noun
- a single grain or kernel, as of barley or corn.
- a small amount; a little.
pickle
/ ˈpɪkəl /
noun
- often plural vegetables, such as cauliflowers, onions, etc, preserved in vinegar, brine, etc
- any food preserved in this way
- a liquid or marinade, such as spiced vinegar, for preserving vegetables, meat, fish, etc
- a cucumber that has been preserved and flavoured in a pickling solution, such as brine or vinegar
- informal.an awkward or difficult situation
to be in a pickle
- informal.a mischievous child
verb
- to preserve in a pickling liquid
- to immerse (a metallic object) in a liquid, such as an acid, to remove surface scale
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Derived Forms
- ˈpickler, noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of pickle1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of pickle1
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Idioms and Phrases
see in a fix (pickle) .Discover More
Example Sentences
You spice it with blues and skiffle music, and pickle it in alcohol and tobacco smoke.
Our backyard had a baseball diamond and a “Pickle” path worn into the lawn because of Frankie.
A pinch hitter named Pickle Smith was announced for Jacksonville.
Chuck Strickler of Decatur, Michigan, found himself in a pickle right after September 11.
But soon after I arrived in Washington, D.C., I was in a pickle.
Now one is told he is somewhat of a pickle, but fables about royalty may always be received with more than a grain of salt.
Pit your shovel in here an' lift this pickle, an' no' stand there gapin' like a grisly ghost at the door o' hell!
Very true,” said Edward; “we have nothing to conceal, and if he finds us in a pickle it is of no consequence.
Then when it had become sapless and hard, he cut it to shape, then “put it 178 to pickle,” as the saying goes.
Because she got into a pretty pickle—there's a riddle for you.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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