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pickled

Topito

Senior Member
Español (castellano)
Hello,

My doubt is if the word pickled can mean "drunk" when said of a person. I found it in a novel: Everyone in the picture was pickled.

Thanks
"Pickled" can mean that a person is drunk. It sounds a bit dated these days.

I use it to be funny. I've heard people use it marginally more seriously when talking about the consequences of alcoholism: "What are you trying to do: pickle your liver?"
I use it to be funny. I've heard people use it marginally more seriously when talking about the consequences of alcoholism: "What are you trying to do: pickle your liver?"

I agree. One of my favorite strips of the comic Bloom County ends with a lawyer defending his client, shouting about his client before a press gathering, "As we speak, the man is pickled!" I guess you had to be there.

There's a lot of other slang to describe a drunk person, such as "smashed":

Another thread: to be hammered
I use it to be funny. I've heard people use it marginally more seriously when talking about the consequences of alcoholism: "What are you trying to do: pickle your liver?"
Why do you use it to be funny? What's its difference with 'drunk' that it's funny?
What does 'pickle' mean in "pickle your liver"?
Why do you use it to be funny? What's its difference with 'drunk' that it's funny?
What does 'pickle' mean in "pickle your liver"?
To pickle something is to soak it in brine or vinegar to preserve it. Vinegar can be made from wine. The joke is that the person's liver has been soaked for so much time in alcohol that it becomes pickled.
To pickle something is to soak it in brine or vinegar to preserve it. Vinegar can be made from wine. The joke is that the person's liver has been soaked for so much time in alcohol that it becomes pickled.
Aha, many thanks Myridon for the excellent explanation. 👁 Smile :)

Sorry but this orange pickled mean drunk or it become preserved?
Last edited:
this orange pickled
I've never heard of oranges being pickled, but "pickled" in relation to a foodstuff usually means something made by soaking it in brine or vinegar.
I've never heard of oranges being pickled, but "pickled" in relation to a foodstuff usually means something made by soaking it in brine or vinegar.
What does that orange 'pickled' mean that you've never heard of?
You made a reference to oranges being picked. I meant I've never heard of oranges being pickled. I suppose they're pickled the same way as anything else.

Oh, ok, I get it now. You highlighted the word "pickled" in Myridon's message in orange while quoting it and were referring to that. I misunderstood. You have to be careful with "orange" because it's both a colour and a fruit.
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