arm's length | Idiomator

Meaning: A distance approximately equal to the length of a human's arm.I need about tenarm's lengthsof yarn.; (figuratively)A position not suggesting or inviting intimacy.She remained atarm's lengththough we worked together for many years.; (figuratively)A condition of independence and parity for parties to a transaction.The police work atarm's lengthfrom the army.2020April 22, “Labour's blueprint for the future of Britain's railways”, inRail, page28:"Government should have anarms-lengthrelationship with the railway," it adds.2020June 3, Christian Wolmar, “Unworkable policies cripple our beleagered railway”, inRail, page51:In any viable scenario of renationalisation, the idea was always to ensure that the railways were atarm's lengthfrom the Department, since it was recognised that allowing civil servants to run the show is always a bad idea.

Examples:

EN: No arm's length must be between us any more
ES: Ni el largo... de un brazo tiene que existir entre nosotros...
EN: If you want to hold me at arm's length, you've only got to say so.
ES: Si quieres que mantengamos la distancia, sólo tienes que decírmelo.
EN: - At arm's length.
ES: - Bien lejos.
EN: - Oh, at arm's length. - Yes.
ES: - Ah, ¿bien lejos?
EN: Never have your holster at arm's length.
ES: No debe estar a tanta distancia.
EN: If ever he approaches you arm's length, I'll have his head in a basket!
ES: ¡Si se atreve a acercarse a ti lo pasaré por la espada!
EN: A garden of reassuring order, with clipped hedges and geometric paths, where we stroll with measured steps, side by side, day after day, at arm's length, never closer...
ES: Un jardín confortable y ordenado, primoroso... con setos recortados caminos geométricos, donde pasear con pasos medidos, uno al lado del otro, día tras día, en condiciones de plena competencia, nunca más...
EN: These days here side by side, walking along these corridors with measured steps, at arm's length, never closer, never reaching out with fingers or lips.
ES: En estos días aquí a su lado, caminar a lo largo de estos corredores con pasos medidos, en condiciones de plena competencia, no más cerca, aún esos dedos supuestamente entrelazados y esos labios...
EN: I thought I could take the human factor element and hold it out at arm's length... and... I was doing all right with it, too... until this afternoon.
ES: Pensé que podía contar en el factor humano, que trabajó para mí y ... hacer esta tarde.
EN: Deliberately keeps me at arm's length.
ES: Deliberadamente me mantiene a distancia.
EN: Maybe this, arm's length attitude is... All for the best.
ES: Tal vez esto, actitud de brazos cruzados es lo mejor.
EN: Kept people at arm's length.
ES: Mantenía a la gente alejada.
EN: Well, I nearly begged you to come along, but then I thought, wouldn't it be better to make the break now, cleanly? Call it selfish if you like, but isn't it wiser to keep ourselves at arm's length?
ES: Iba a rogarte que vinieras conmigo pero pensé que sería mejor despedirnos así... sin rodeos, llámalo egoísmo si quieres pero ¿no es más prudente...?
EN: But I'll keep him at arm's length.
ES: Yo no se lo consiento.
EN: Your late father and I were good friends you shouldn't place me at arm's length
ES: Tu padre y yo éramos viejos amigos. Me recuerdas a él.

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