noun
pickle
A difficult or troublesome situation.
The lost keys leave us in a pickle.
Etymology
Pickle names the preserving liquid in which food is immersed. The figurative sense pictures someone as caught in an unpleasant or awkward situation.
More examples
- She found herself in a real pickle after missing the train.
- That mistaken payment put the office in a pickle.
- We worked together to get out of the pickle.
Forms
pickle · pickles
Similar words
- predicament
- A difficult situation, more formal.
- jam
- An informal troublesome situation.