give a wide berth

1. 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]

Related Words

• despise 
• disdain 
• eschew 
• neglect 
• pass up 
• refuse 
• reject 
• scorn 
• snub