How Do You Spell BARGEPOLE?

1. Bargepole, as a noun, refers to a long pole or staff used primarily for guiding or propelling barges, which are flat-bottomed boats used for transporting heavy goods on rivers and canals. Traditionally made of wood, a bargepole typically features a rounded or flat end that can be inserted into the riverbed or used to push against a canal wall, allowing bargemen to maneuver their vessels through shallow or narrow waterways.

   However, "bargepole" is also commonly used in a figurative sense, typically in the phrase "wouldn't touch [something] with a bargepole." In this context, it denotes a strong expression of avoidance or unwillingness to become involved in or associated with something or someone. The phrase implies an extreme sense of skepticism, caution, or aversion towards the subject matter, often due to perceiving it as unpleasant, undesirable, or risky.

   Its figurative usage tends to convey a strong emphasis on maintaining distance or disassociation from a particular situation, person, or idea. "Bargepole" thus becomes a metaphorical representation of an imaginary boundary or symbolic instrument expressing the reluctance or refusal to engage with or approach the defined object, person, or concept.

   Overall, whether referring to a physical pole used for navigation or in its metaphorical sense, "bargepole" illuminates the notion of maintaining distance, aversion or caution, be it in the literal physical realm or within the more abstract realm of personal opinions and choices.

The word "bargepole" has its origins in the English language. It is derived from the noun "barge", referring to a large, flat-bottomed boat used for transporting goods on rivers and canals. The suffix "-pole" is added to "barge" to create "bargepole".

"Bargepole" gained idiomatic significance in the phrase "Wouldn't touch [something] with a bargepole". This phrase originated in the early 19th century, meaning that one would not come into contact with or engage with something, usually due to it being undesirable or risky. Over time, "bargepole" came to represent something that people avoided touching or being associated with, suggesting a sense of distance or reluctance.

Plural form of BARGEPOLE is BARGEPOLES