a rod in pickle

a rod in pickle

obsolete A punishment or retaliation kept in store for future use. The prime minister insisted that Britain had a rod in pickle for any nation that dared encroach upon its sovereign borders in force.

See also: pickle, rod

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a rod in pickle

a punishment in store.

In pickle means ‘preserved ready for future use’. This form, which dates from the mid 17th century, has superseded an earlier mid 16th-century variant a rod in piss .

See also: pickle, rod

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017