noun

pickle

PIH-kuhl

noun

A cucumber or other vegetable preserved in vinegar or brine.

"He added a pickle to his sandwich for extra crunch."

"In Britain, pickle often refers to a sweet, chunky vegetable relish."

A difficult or awkward situation.

"Missing the last train left them in quite a pickle."

verb

To preserve food in vinegar, brine, or a similar solution.

"She pickles her own onions every autumn."

How to Use Pickle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA vinegar-preserved food, or an awkward situation you've gotten stuck in.

UK vs US

In the US, "a pickle" usually means a whole pickled cucumber; in the UK, "pickle" more often refers to a thick, sweet-savory relish spread on bread.

Common pairings

in a pickle pickle jar pickled onions

pickled past tense, pickled past tense, pickles plural, pickles plural, Pickles plural, pickles singular, pickles singular

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He added a _____ to his sandwich for extra crunch.

From Middle Dutch/Middle Low German pekel ("brine"), which also gave English words like Scots pikkill.

tickle sickle fickle trickle