give someone a wide berth Definition

berth
noun

1. A sleeping-place in a ship or train, etc.

Thesaurus: bunk, hammock, cot, bedroom, roomette (US), billet, transom berth (US).
2. A place in a port where a ship or boat can be tied up.
3. Enough room for a ship to be able to turn round in.
(Brit)
4. colloq
A job or situation, especially a comfortable one.
Thesaurus: place, situation, employment, job, profession, post, sinecure.

verb berthed, berthing

1. To tie up (a ship) in its berth.
intr
2. Said of a ship: to arrive at its berth; to moor.
3. To provide a sleeping-place for someone.

Idiom: give someone or something a wide berth

To stay well away from them or it.

Etymology: 17c: a nautical term, possibly connected with bear¹.

Info:

There is sometimes a spelling confusion between berth and birth.