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jim_1

Phrase of the day 3/12

5 years ago

In a pickle

This means “in an awkward or embarrassing situation.” It comes from a phrase borrowed from Dutch, in de pekel zitten – “sitting in the pickle,” with “pickle” being the brine used years ago to preserve meats and vegetables. Certainly anyone sitting in the pickle would be might uncomfortable. This goes back at least 500 years.

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