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not touch with a barge pole

(idiomatic, UK) To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; (signifies a strong aversion).

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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(idiomatic, UK) To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; (signifies a strong aversion).

Origin: Probably derived from the barge poles that bargemen used to fend off wharfs and other boats. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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