wide berth

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

wide berth (plural wide berths)

1. (nautical) Adequate distance from sea vessels or other objects to ensure safety and maneuverability.

   Steer to port and give the rocks a wide berth.

2. (idiomatic, by extension) A considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object, especially for safety or deliberate avoidance.

   Our cat always gives the vacuum cleaner a wide berth.

   He's so obnoxious that everyone gives him a wide berth.

   • 1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 356:

     One [sheep] was "bagged" but gave the rest of the train a wide berth and appeared only somewhat shaken.

Usage notes

• Often used with some form of the verb "to give".

Translations

nautical: adequate distance from other objects

• Finnish: riittävä etäisyys (used with verb pitää)

considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object

• Finnish: kaukana (fi) (to give a wide berth - pysyä kaukana)
• German: gehöriger Abstand m, sichere Entfernung f, sichere Distanz f
• Polish: omijać szerokim łukiem (pl) impf

References

• "give sth/sb a wide berth" at dictionary.cambridge.org
• "wide berth" at www.seatalk.info.
• “wide berth”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.