Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole
Definitions
discourage someone
Advise against engaging in a particular activity or task, cautioning that it will not result in any positive outcome or benefitexpress extreme dislike or aversion
Convey a strong sense of refusal or rejection towards something or someone
Examples of Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole
I wouldn't touch that job with a barge-pole.
This idiom is used to express strong feelings of disinclination or discomfort towards a particular situation or object. In this example, the person speaking strongly doubts or is repulsed by the idea of taking the offered job.
The boss's new idea seemed so outrageous that I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
This idiom can also be used figuratively to avoid doing something that is considered impractical, unhelpful, or undesirable by another person. In this example, the person is indicating their strong objection to the boss's new idea.
I wouldn't touch politics with a barge-pole, it's far too complicated for my taste.
This idiom can also highlight the reluctance of a person towards a particular field, in this case, politics. The speaker is making it clear that they are not interested in politics, and find it too complex to want to touch it with anything, let alone a barge-pole.
The food was so unappetizing that I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole, let alone eat it.
This idiom is used to express a strong physical or emotional repulsion to something. In this example, the food is so repulsive that the speaker would not touch it even with a barge-pole, which is a long pole used to propel a barge along waterways, implying something far away and unapproachable.
Jack's presentation was so boring that I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
This idiom is used to describe something that is so repulsive or dreadful that we would not want to be associated with it, even if it is brought closer by using a barge-pole (a long pole used for pushing or pulling a barge). In this example, Jack's presentation is so dull and uninteresting that I would not want to participate in it, even if I had to use a long pole to avoid contact with it.
I wouldn't touch your new diet with a barge-pole.
This idiom is used to describe something that we find distasteful or unappetizing, and we would not want to come into contact with it, even if it is presented to us forcefully. In this case, the speaker is implying that they do not find the new diet attractive or appealing and would rather avoid it completely, even if they had to use a long pole to stay away from it.
I wouldn't touch that project with a barge-pole. It's doomed to fail.
This idiom is used to describe something that is so badly managed or flawed that we would not want to be associated with it, even if it is destined to fail. The speaker is warning the listener that the project in question is so poorly planned and executed that it is highly likely to fail, and it is best to avoid it altogether, even if this involves using a long pole to keep a distance from it.
The new CEO's leadership style is so despised that I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole.
This idiom is used to describe something that is so deeply unpopular or disliked that we would not want to associate ourselves with it. In this case, the speaker is indicating that the new CEO's management approach is so widely reviled and criticized that it would be wise to avoid it altogether, even if this means using a long pole to stay away from it.
Conclusion
The idiom "Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole" is used to discourage someone from a particular action or to express extreme aversion towards something. It is often employed to convey a strong sense of refusal or to caution against engaging in a specific activity that is unlikely to yield any positive results.Origin of "Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole"
The origin of the idiom "Wouldn't touch with a barge-pole" can be traced back to the use of a barge-pole, which is a long pole used to push or steer a barge. The expression likely originated from the idea that something is so undesirable or repulsive that one would not even want to touch it with a long pole. Over time, the phrase has evolved to convey a strong sense of aversion or refusal towards something. It is commonly used in British English and has become a well-known idiom to express extreme dislike or to caution against getting involved in a particular situation. Examples of its usage can be found in literature, entertainment, and everyday conversation.