Meaning & use
ten-foot pole
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformalfigurative
Used in the expression not touch something with a ten-foot pole, meaning to refuse to have anything to do with it because it seems unpleasant or risky.
Grammar: Fixed phrase, normally negative: I wouldn't touch that deal with a ten-foot pole.
Patterns
- wouldn't touch something with a ten-foot pole
I wouldn't touch that business deal with a ten-foot pole.
After the last fiasco, she won't go near the project with a ten-foot pole.
He said he wouldn't date a gambler with a ten-foot pole.
Common combinations
- wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole
- I wouldn't touch that used car with a ten-foot pole.
- won't go near with a ten-foot pole
- Investors won't go near the company with a ten-foot pole.
- not touch it with a ten-foot pole
- Most lawyers wouldn't touch the case with a ten-foot pole.
Synonyms and how they differ
- steer clear of
- Less vivid; it means to avoid something without the strong sense of distaste.
- give a wide berth
- Similar in meaning, but a bit more formal and it is not limited to negative sentences.
Word family
- bargepole noun
- the British version of the same idiom, as in wouldn't touch it with a bargepole
Practice
If someone says they wouldn't touch an offer with a ten-foot pole, they mean they ___.
Choose one answer.
The idiom expresses a firm refusal to get involved. The literal reading about reach is wrong, and the others suggest interest.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ten-foot pole”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.