arm's length

[bieasy]

Hi,

Is the following sentence correct?

'What makes me desperate, is that the solution is at our arm's length and what are we doing? Let me tell you: Absolutely nothing!'

[Barb_D]

No, I think you want to say that it's within reach, not at arm's length.

[banderas]

Originally Posted by bieasy

Hi,

Is the following sentence correct?

'What makes me desperate, is that the solution is at our arm's length and what are we doing? Let me tell you: Absolutely nothing!'

At arm's length=at some distance. For example "keep someone at arm's length"=At such a distance that physical or social contact is discouraged.
Yet, I came across this (named as Indian English) idiom and am not sure myself what to think.
See th link:
At arm's length - UsingEnglish.com

[rj1948]

keep one at arms length-means keepthe person away from you as he is undesirable

[bieasy]

So something we have at arm's length couldn't mean something we could reach?

[susiedqq]

Well, you (could, might be able to) reach it, but in most situations, it's used to describe something just out of reach.

Keep those cookies at arm's length from me. I am on a diet!

The mother wisely kept the toys at arm's length from the child in the cart.

The nomination is still at arm's length for both Clinton and Obama.
(Bet that's where you saw this term )

[bieasy]

Originally Posted by susiedqq

Well, you (could, might be able to) reach it, but in most situations, it's used to describe something just out of reach.

Keep those cookies at arm's length from me. I am on a diet!

The mother wisely kept the toys at arm's length from the child in the cart.

The nomination is still at arm's length for both Clinton and Obama.
(Bet that's where you saw this term )

Wrong! I watched "An inconvenient truth". You know, the presentation of Al Gore about global warming. I think he used this term at the beginning of his speech. I tried to use it in another subject, but I think I won't

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by bieasy

Wrong! I watched "An inconvenient truth". You know, the presentation of Al Gore about global warming. I think he used this term at the beginning of his speech. I tried to use it in another subject, but I think I won't

So what did Mr. Gore say? (A paragraph or two will do.)

[rj1948]

Originally Posted by RonBee

So what did Mr. Gore say? (A paragraph or two will do.)

At arm's length=away from friendliness .Is usage in the above sentence correct?

[BobK]

Originally Posted by banderas

At arm's length=at some distance. For example "keep someone at arm's length"=At such a distance that physical or social contact is discouraged.
Yet, I came across this (named as Indian English) idiom and am not sure myself what to think.
See th link:
At arm's length - UsingEnglish.com

That's a new one on me. In my understanding, the term 'at arm's length' doesn't have to mean socially/personally very distant, just distant enough to be considered fair: an 'arm's length transaction' is a deal between people who are careful to show that they are taking market forces into account, and not giving each other preferential treatment. So to keep someone at arm's length is not to shun them completely ('to keep them at bay', 'to give them a wide berth [sic - spelt with an e]'...) but to keep an appropriate distance apart.

b