pickle
1a 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.
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.
Origin of pickle
1Other words for pickle
Words Nearby pickle
Other definitions for pickle (2 of 2)
a single grain or kernel, as of barley or corn.
a small amount; a little.
Origin of pickle
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pickle in a sentence
Over the past six months, her business selling small-batch pickles, jams and radishes has tripled its sales.
Small Business Saturday spotlights pandemic-inspired entrepreneurship | Emily Davies | November 28, 2020 | Washington PostScientists have known that sea pickles have special cells called photosites, located as spots around their bodies, that allow them to glow.
In the promotional video, Balvin says his preference is for “no pickles,” which sort of defeats the purpose of a Big Mac, but hey, if you want to consume the exact same food as J Balvin, you gotta make some sacrifices.
McDonald’s Partners With J Balvin Following the Huge Success of the Travis Scott Meal | Jaya Saxena | October 6, 2020 | EaterIt would be a very unpleasant chore, and again, that’s the pickle you’re trying to present.
The most secure ways to lock up your bike | By Michael Frank/Cycle Volta | August 26, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThen, you’ll find yourself in a pickle if more than one blogger accepts it.
Nine mistakes to avoid when contacting websites for backlinks | Raj Dosanjh | July 29, 2020 | Search Engine Watch
You spice it with blues and skiffle music, and pickle it in alcohol and tobacco smoke.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker | Ted Gioia | December 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOur backyard had a baseball diamond and a “pickle” path worn into the lawn because of Frankie.
‘Tracing the Blue Light’: Read Chapter 1 of Eileen Cronin’s ‘Mermaid’ | Eileen Cronin | April 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA pinch hitter named pickle Smith was announced for Jacksonville.
The Great Paul Hemphill Celebrates the Long Gone Birmingham Barons | Paul Hemphill | March 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTChuck Strickler of Decatur, Michigan, found himself in a pickle right after September 11.
New iPhone a Problem for People Who Lack Fingerprints | Winston Ross | September 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTBut 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.
Spanish Life in Town and Country | L. Higgin and Eugne E. StreetPit your shovel in here an' lift this pickle, an' no' stand there gapin' like a grisly ghost at the door o' hell!
The Underworld | James C. WelshVery true,” said Edward; “we have nothing to conceal, and if he finds us in a pickle it is of no consequence.
The Children of the New Forest | Captain MarryatThen 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.
Frank Fairlegh | Frank E. Smedley
British Dictionary definitions for pickle
/ (ˈpɪkəl) /
(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
mainly US and Canadian 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
British informal a mischievous child
to preserve in a pickling liquid
to immerse (a metallic object) in a liquid, such as an acid, to remove surface scale
Origin of pickle
1Derived forms of pickle
- pickler, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with pickle
see in a fix (pickle).
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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