Why do we say 'In A Pickle'? (2024)

If you are in a pickle, you are in a difficult position, or have a problem to which no easy answer can be found.

The word ‘pickle’ comes from the Dutch word ‘pekel’, meaning ‘something piquant’, and originally referred to a spiced, salted vinegar that was used as a preservative.

In the seventeenth century, vegetables like cucumbers or gherkins that were preserved took the name.

The ‘in difficulty’ meaning of the expression alludes to the idea of being as mixed up and disoriented as the pickled vegetables in the jar!

Example: "I've been in such a pickle since I saw you last that. I really I need your help."