pickle 這個字原本是指酸黃瓜或醬瓜這種醃過的黃瓜或其他蔬菜 但什麼叫 in a pickle 呢? 它通常是指人, 比如: He is in a pickle. 意思是此人陷入困境
比如:
President Obama has been in a pickle since the day he got elected.
He found himself in a pickle when Lou told him about his affair because he’s good friends with Lou’s wife too. (Lou 跟他說了外遇的事, 讓他陷入困境, 因為他和 Lou 的太太也是好朋友)
至於為什麼要用這種比喻呢? 有一說是來自古時的諷刺文學作品 裡面提到窮人居然成為有錢人菜單上的食物 像酸黃瓜一樣不值錢 所以開始有了用 in a pickle 來指生活陷入困境的用法 演變到現在泛指任何困難的處境