wide berth

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

  (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.

Usage notes

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

Translations

considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object

• German: gehöriger Abstand m, sichere Entfernung f, sichere Distanz f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

References

• "wide berth" at www.seatalk.info.
• "give a wide berth" in the Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
• “wide berth”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.