wide berths
Steering clear, nautically
Wide berths is the plural of wide berth, a phrase meaning ample distance kept from something.
The expression comes from nautical usage—a berth is the space a ship needs to maneuver safely.
To give someone a wide berth is to avoid them deliberately: After the scandal, colleagues gave him a wide berth.
The plural appears when discussing multiple instances of avoidance.
- roomEnclosed interior area
- elbow roomAdequate maneuvering space
- giving spaceAllowing personal distance
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- steer clearActively avoid something
keep away · distance · buffer zone · comfort zone · separation · clearance · leeway · arm's length · gap · space · expanse · margin · prudence · sidestepping · evasion · piloting · steering · shunning
wide berthsclose quarters
Restricted space, minimal distance
close proximity · close encounters · near misses · tight spaces · crowding
wide berthsengagement
Commitment to wed or attend
embrace · pursuit · seeking out · courting · chasing
wide berthsconfrontation
Direct hostile encounter
seeking out · approaching · embracing · welcoming · pursuing
wide, berth, wider, widest, widely, widen, widened, widening, widens