The idiom "keep someone at arm's length" means to maintain a certain distance or level of detachment from someone, usually because you don't trust them or you don't want to get too close to them.
For example, if you have a colleague at work who is always trying to get too friendly with you, but you don't really like them, you might keep them at arm's length by being polite but not engaging in too much conversation or spending too much time with them.
Similarly, if you have a friend who has a habit of borrowing money and not paying it back, you might keep them at arm's length by not lending them any more money and being cautious about getting too involved in their personal life.
Overall, the idiom "keep someone at arm's length" is used to describe a situation where you want to maintain a certain level of distance or detachment from someone, usually because of a lack of trust or a desire to avoid getting too involved in their problems.
• Even though we were once close friends, I had to keep her at arm's length after she betrayed my trust.
• I don't like that new neighbour, so I keep him at arm's length.
• I always keep my personal life separate from my work life, so I keep my colleagues at arm's length.
• My boss is always trying to get too close to me, but I prefer to keep him at arm's length.
• As a public figure, I have to keep my fans at arm's length and maintain a professional boundary.
• After being hurt in the past, I learned to keep people at arm's length until I get to know them better.
• The famous actress kept her fans at arm's length to maintain her privacy.
• After discovering her betrayal, I decided to keep her at arm's length.
• If you want to maintain a professional image, it's advisable to keep your personal life at arm's length from your work.
• The manager kept the troublemaker employee at arm's length to avoid any conflict with other staff members.
• I had to keep my annoying cousin at arm's length during the family dinner.
• I don't trust him, so I keep him at arm's length.