Dictionary

wide berth en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. Adequate distance from sea vessels or other objects to ensure safety and maneuverability.
   • Steer to port and give the rocks a wide berth.
2. (broadly, idiomatic) A considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object, especially for safety or deliberate avoidance.
   • He's so obnoxious that everyone gives him a wide berth.
   • Our cat always gives the vacuum cleaner a wide berth.
   • One [sheep] was "bagged" but gave the rest of the train a wide berth and appeared only somewhat shaken. 1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 356:
   • Only Samantha escaped with her dignity intact, because she gave the series a wide berth. 2025 August 13, Jennifer Weiner, “In ‘And Just Like That …’ a Craven Era Took Its Revenge on Youth and Hope and Fun”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

Forms

Translations (8)

de großer Bogen (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object) · de gehöriger Abstand (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object) · de sichere Entfernung (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object) · fi riittävä etäisyys (used with verb pitää) (nautical: adequate distance from other objects) · fi kaukana (to give a wide berth - pysyä kaukana) (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object) · de sichere Distanz (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object) · pl bezpieczna odległość (nautical: adequate distance from other objects) · pl szeroki łuk (considerable or comfortable distance from a person or object)