Origin of the term Pickle

Goin' Yard · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 06:48pm

Can anyone help me out? I was asked by one of my sons as to the origin of the term pickle. My 1st guess is Red Barber, but it's only a guess.

mick · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 07:12pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Goin' Yard
Can anyone help me out? I was asked by one of my sons as to the origin of the term pickle. My 1st guess is Red Barber, but it's only a guess.

"Pickle" is a shortened version of "pick-off" and then eventually developed it's own persona as a run-down.

Goin' Yard · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 08:12pm

Thanks, Mick. I guess I needed to be more specific in my 1st message. What I'm after is: to whom the origination of the term is credited (& approximately when it was coined).

GarthB · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 09:32pm

A quick check of colloquialisms indicates that "being in a pickle" was used to describe someone in a tough predicament years before Red Barber, perhaps before baseball.

mick · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 09:36pm

Quote:

Originally posted by GarthB
A quick check of colloquialisms indicates that "being in a pickle" was used to describe someone in a tough predicament years before Red Barber, perhaps before baseball.

...Probably Shakespeare.

GarthB · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 30, 2003, 09:40pm

...Probably Shakespeare.

Or Childress.

Warren Willson · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 31, 2003, 04:43am

Quote:

Originally posted by GarthB
...Probably Shakespeare.

Or Childress.

Now THAT'S funny! ROTFLMAO!!!

clarkei · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 31, 2003, 11:55am

Origin
From Shakespeare's The Tempest.

ALONSO And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?
How camest thou in this pickle?

TRINCULO I have been in such a pickle since I
saw you last that, I fear me, will never out of
my bones: I shall not fear fly-blowing.

(from a British phrase finding site)

Ian Clarke