Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

not touch with a barge pole

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.41 in modern English

Syllables
not -touch with- a barge pole
IPA
38
Scrabble Score
22
Letters
3
Syllables
15
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

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

British usage

Etymology

Probably derived from the barge poles that bargemen used to fend off wharfs and other boats.

Usage

Inflected Forms

not touch something with a ten-foot pole (alternative)

Phrases

not be caught dead over my dead body

Frequently Paired Words

not be caught dead over my dead body

Questions

What does not touch with a barge pole mean?
To avoid something at all costs; to refuse to associate with something; (signifies a strong aversion).
Where does not touch with a barge pole come from?
Probably derived from the barge poles that bargemen used to fend off wharfs and other boats.

How to pronounce not touch with a barge pole

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “not touch with a barge pole”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “not touch with a barge pole”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “not touch with a barge pole” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.