berth

Related to berth: wide berth

a soft berth

An easy post, position, or job. After retiring from the military, I landed a nice soft berth as a consultant for a security firm. I didn't run for mayor expecting to find a soft berth—I'm prepared to fight for the changes I believe will make this a better city!
See also: berth, soft

an easy berth

An easy post, position, or job. After retiring from the military, I landed a nice easy berth as a consultant for a security firm. I didn't run for mayor expecting to find an easy berth—I'm prepared to fight for the changes I believe will make this a better city!
See also: berth, easy

give (someone or something) a wide berth

1. To maintain a good distance from someone or something. Originally referred to ships. Once I learned that there was a lice outbreak, I gave all of my students a wide berth for the rest of the day. We've been giving John a wide berth ever since he dumped our good friend.
2. By extension, to avoid interacting or dealing with someone or something. The government has given the cyber security company a wide berth ever since its data breach became public knowledge. I would give those holistic medicine quacks a wide berth, if I were you. Anyone who claims to have miracle cures not supported by scientific evidence is trying to con you.
See also: berth, give, wide

give a wide berth to (someone or something)

1. To maintain a good distance from someone or something. Originally referred to ships. Once I learned that there was a lice outbreak, I gave a wide berth to all of my students for the rest of the day. We've been giving a wide berth to John ever since he dumped our good friend.
2. By extension, to avoid interacting or dealing with someone or something. The government has given a wide berth to the cyber security company ever since its data breach became public knowledge. I would give a wide berth to anyone who claims to have some sort of miracle cure not supported by scientific evidence.
See also: berth, give, wide

wide berth

A good distance (between things, people, etc.). Originally referred to ships. Once I learned that there was a lice outbreak, I kept a wide berth from all of my students for the rest of the day. We've been keeping a wide berth from John ever since he dumped our good friend.
See also: berth, wide
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

give someone or something a wide berth

Fig. to keep a reasonable distance from someone or something; to steer clear (of someone or something). (Originally referred to sailing ships.) The dog we are approaching is very mean. Better give it a wide berth. Give Mary a wide berth. She's in a very bad mood.
See also: berth, give, wide
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

give a wide berth

Avoid, as in After Jane told on them, they gave her a wide berth. This expression alludes to giving a vessel enough room to swing at anchor so as to avoid a collision. [Mid-1800s]
See also: berth, give, wide
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

give someone/something a wide berth

If you give someone or something a wide berth, you deliberately avoid them. I don't mess with people like that, not me. I give them a wide berth. Having lived all my life in Africa I have a very healthy respect for snakes and give them a wide berth. Note: A berth is the amount of space which a sailing ship needs to manoeuvre safely.
See also: berth, give, someone, something, wide
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

give someone or something a wide berth

stay away from someone or something.
Berth is a nautical term which originally referred to the distance that ships should keep away from each other or from the shore, rocks, etc., in order to avoid a collision. Therefore, the literal meaning of the expression is ‘steer a ship well clear of something while passing it’.
See also: berth, give, someone, something, wide
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

give somebody/something a wide ˈberth

avoid meeting somebody; avoid going near or using something: He’s so boring I always try to give him a wide berth at parties. The roads are very dangerous there — I’d give them a wide berth and go by train.
See also: berth, give, somebody, something, wide
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

soft berth

n. an easy situation; employment at an easy job. I hope I can arrange a soft berth for my brother, who just applied for a job here.
See also: berth, soft
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

a wide berth

Ample space or distance to avoid an unwanted consequence: gave their angry colleague a wide berth.
See also: berth, wide
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

give a wide berth to, to

To avoid. This term, which in the eighteenth century literally meant to give a ship plenty of room to swing at anchor, was transferred to other objects of avoidance and soon became a cliché. “I recommend you to keep a wide berth of me, sir,” wrote Thackeray (The Newcomes, 1854).
See also: berth, give, wide
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a soft berth
  • soft berth
  • an easy berth
  • (as) soft as velvet
  • velvet
  • mick
  • soft mick
  • (as) soft as silk
  • (as) soft as a baby's bottom
  • soft as a baby's bottom
References in periodicals archive
Food is from vending machines instead of a restaurant car, but berths are comfortable and blankets and duvets are provided.
TOP 10 Sleeper trains; Overnight by rail may not be the fastest, or cheapest, way to travel but it can take you to some magical places y lOff the beaten tracks
Moreover, the railways have issued instructions to ticket checking staff to assist senior citizens and physically handicapped persons as well as pregnant women who have been allotted middle/upper berths by allotting them vacant lower berths available in the train.
Lower berths reserved for senior citizens, pregnant women
Located at stand CH-11, staff will be available to discuss both the 2012 Annual Berth rates (starting from AED 16,455 inclusive of a berth at 2012 Formula 1 week) and the 2012 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Grand Prix berthing tariffs which start from 10,395 AED.
Yas Marina berth occupancy doubles in six months
This paper shows a model of costs and how its application determines the combination of number of berths and cranes on the berth with the least costs (Mendoza et al., 2009) for the given terminal traffic.
Model of total costs for determining the optimal capacity of the container terminal in Port of Rijeka using the queuing theory
The following are the benefits of the project: (1) Construction of 280m long berth to cater to 14 m draft vessels with a capacity of 6.41 MT; (2) Installation of mechanised unloading facilities for Steam coal; (3) Transporting the cargo through closed conveyor system to the stockpile reducing the environmental pollution and (4) Mechanical system for stacking and reclaiming he cargo for eventual loading into wagons leading to faster evacuation and less congestion.
Cabinet approves development of Vizag's East Quay 1
The two new berths will further strengthen Drydocks World-Dubai's profile as the largest and most efficient maritime industry hub in the region.
Drydocks World Expands Yard Space
Summary: Drydocks World - Dubai, the ship repair, conversion and building subsidiary of Drydocks World, has added two new berths to its facility, significantly increasing its conversion capacity.
Drydocks World-Dubai expands yard space with new FPSO Quay
In a water depth of 15 metres, one of the berths has four loading arms with 8-inch connections.
UAE - The Export Terminals
A major Tyneside marina is expanding to meet the growing demand for new berths.
Quay to ashore
Oakland has clinched a play-off berth. Oakland clinch the division with a win and a Denver loss or tie.
NFL: The race fot the play-offs
But the Navy says it has now scrapped 13 of the 30 Scots berth because fewer nuclear subs are operating.
N-sub berths axed
This is even as vessels have failed to berth at any ports in the country due to inability of the Berthing Committee to meet as a result of the labour strike.
Strike: Congestion rocks Lagos ports as vessels fail to berth
figure By KALUME KAZUNGU Kenyans will have to wait a little longer for the completion of the first berth at the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor project.In February, the government had announced that one of the first three berths would be complete by June.
First Lamu Port berth to be complete by December