barge pole

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Word: Barge Pole

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A barge pole is a long pole that is used to push or guide a barge (a flat-bottomed boat used for carrying goods on rivers and canals).

Usage Instructions: The term "barge pole" can be used literally to refer to the actual pole used with a barge, but it is often used in a figurative way in the idiom "I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole," which means that you do not want to get involved with something at all because you think it is bad or dangerous.

Example:

• Literal: The workers used a barge pole to steer the barge through the narrow canal.
• Figurative: When my friend asked me to invest in that risky business, I told her I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Advanced Usage:

In more advanced conversations, you might hear the phrase used in different contexts to express strong disapproval or avoidance of a situation, person, or object.

Word Variants:

• Barge: The type of boat that the pole is used with.
• Poling: The act of using a pole to move a boat.

Different Meaning:

While "barge pole" primarily refers to a physical object, in idiomatic expressions, it conveys feelings of reluctance or rejection.

Synonyms:

• For the literal meaning: pole, rod, stick.
• For the idiomatic expression: I wouldn't go near it, I want nothing to do with it.

Idioms:

• "I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole": This idiom indicates a strong desire to avoid something.

Phrasal Verbs:

There are no direct phrasal verbs associated with "barge pole," but you can use verbs like "stay away from" or "keep clear of" in similar contexts.

Summary:

Understanding "barge pole" helps learners recognize both its literal use in boating and its idiomatic expression for avoiding undesirable situations.

Academic

Noun

1. a long pole used to propel or guide a barge
   • I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole