A pickle is food like a cucumber or onion that is kept in vinegar or salt water. This helps the food stay fresh and taste sour. Pickles are often eaten with meals.
I like to eat a pickle with my sandwich.
She bought a jar of pickles from the shop.
When someone is in a pickle, they have a problem that is hard to solve. It means they are stuck or confused. This use is metaphorical, not about food.
He was in a pickle about his lost keys.
I am in a pickle with my homework deadline.
To pickle means to keep food fresh by putting it in vinegar or salty water. This stops the food from going bad and changes the taste. It is a common way to prepare some vegetables.
We pickle cucumbers every summer.
She pickled onions in vinegar.
In industry, a pickle is an acid bath that cleans metal before use. This is a special meaning and is used in factories. It is not common in daily talk.
The steel went through the pickle tank.
Pickle removes rust from the metal.
To pickle someone means to tease or bother them. This use is informal and mostly British. It means to make fun in a small way.
They pickled him about his new shoes.
Stop pickling me about my homework!
In slang, especially British English, to pickle means to drink so much alcohol that you get drunk. It is informal and used in casual speech.
He got pickled at the party last night.
Don't get pickled before the meeting.
A pickle is an expression for a problem or trouble someone has. It means a hard or confusing situation. People use it when they have difficulty.
She found herself in a big pickle at work.
I am in a pickle because I lost my phone.
