at arm's length

Thân thiện

She keeps her new acquaintance at arm's length during the conversation.

Definition

Adverb - At some distance: Used to describe maintaining a physical or emotional distance from someone or something, often to avoid familiarity, intimacy, or conflict.

Usage

This phrase describes a deliberate effort to keep a safe or formal distance. It is most commonly used in social, business, or diplomatic contexts to indicate a cautious, non-close relationship.

Examples

• Adverb:
  • After the disagreement, they kept each other at arm's length.
  • For ethical reasons, the manager must hold all suppliers at arm's length.
  • She's friendly with her colleagues but keeps them at arm's length outside of work.

Advanced Usage

• "to hold/keep someone/something at arm's length": This is the standard verb collocation. It implies an active, conscious effort to maintain distance.
  • The company holds its competitors at arm's length by not sharing any proprietary data.
• The phrase can be applied to abstract concepts like risk or influence.
  • A good investor knows to keep risky assets at arm's length.

Variants and Related Words

• Arm's-length (adjective): Describing a transaction or relationship conducted independently and without undue influence.
  • The two companies finally reached an arm's-length agreement.

Synonyms

• At a distance: Physically or emotionally far.
• Aloofly: In a manner that is not friendly or forthcoming; distant.
• Reservedly: In a slow and cautious way, showing restraint.

Related Idioms

• Keep one's distance: To stay far away from someone or something.
  • He decided to keep his distance from office politics.
• Hold at bay: To prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from coming too close or happening.
  • She took medicine to hold the infection at bay.

Học thuật

Adverb

1. at some distance
   • keep someone at arm's length