keep (someone/something) at arm's length

to avoid becoming connected with someone or something.

We proposed a tax break for companies that treat their workers well, but lawmakers are keeping the idea at arm's length for now.

She doesn't talk much about it because she needs to hold these painful experiences at arm's length.

Related vocabulary: keep your distance from someone/something

Etymology: from the literal meaning of at arm's length (= away from you by a distance equal to the length of your arm)

• nothing but
• nothing but something
• nothing daunted
• nothing doing
• Nothing doing.
• nothing if not
• nothing if not something
• nothing less than
• nothing less than something
• nothing much
• nothing short of
• nothing short of something
• nothing to do with
• nothing to it
• nothing to sneeze at
• nothing to write home about
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
• not hold breath
• not hold liquor
• not hold water
• not hold your breath
• not hold your liquor
• not hurt a fly
• not if can help it
• not if you can help it