what does it mean to keep something at bay
Now, information technology's time for Words and Their Stories from VOA Learning English.
On this programme, we explore everyday expressions that we apply in conversation. Americans often employ the first saying we will talk about today. But many people likely do non know where information technology comes from.
To keep something at bay ways being unable to move closer while attacking or moving toward someone or something. If you keep something at bay, y'all appear to be in control of the situation. English speakers say either "go along at bay" or "concord at bay."
For example, when protecting their village, the villagers kept the armed attackers at bay through the night. The villagers did not let them come closer.
However, bad people can besides concord something at bay. The armed robber held police force at bay for about 9 hours before they caught him. And then, the robber did not allow police become anywhere near him. They didn't take hold of him until nine hours later.
In these examples, the things being kept at bay -- the attackers and the police -- are real. You can physically touch them. But you lot can also use this expression about more intangible things -- ones yous can't see or touch on.
For example, if you lot move to a new city you tin continue loneliness at bay by joining a society, playing a grouping sport or taking a class. You lot can besides invite your quondam friends to come and explore your new city with you. All these things will go along loneliness abroad from you, or at bay.
You tin can keep illness at bay by eating healthy food and getting enough slumber and exercise. And I can hold my desire for chocolate at bay by non ownership information technology and keeping it in my house!
English learners and native speakers alike may think the term "at bay" has to exercise with water, peradventure involving a transport unable to accomplish the shore. After all, one of the many definitions of "bay" is a large expanse of water that is partly surrounded past country.
Only language experts will stop them right there. To find out the origin of this expression, let's talk about another definition of "bay." Information technology also means to bark with long, drawn-out sounds, as when a canis familiaris cries out at the moon.
Those hounds are baying.
In the 14th century, barking hounds were said to be "at bay." When dogs are kept at bay, they are kept from attacking. The Phrase Finder website says the kickoff recorded usage of "at bay" is in an English story from the year 1330.
Back to modern times, "at bay" is a common expression. You lot can use it with friends and strangers.
At present, let's hear this expression used at work. Allow's say yous are the head of a small company that makes toys. Part of your chore is to proceed open up lines of communication between the owner and visitor employees. Well, when the owner all of a sudden makes changes to piece of work rules, the employees get angry. And you hear well-nigh information technology. The owner'south solution is to throw a political party for the employees. You tell her that a party will not keep their anger at bay. They only thing that will better the situation is fair handling.
Now, at that place are other ways to keep something from getting worse. Yous tin can also ward off something or stave off something.
To ward off a danger or affliction ways to foreclose it from affecting you or harming you. We often employ "ward off" when talking nearly mental wellness, disease or, strangely plenty, evil spirits.
For example, she knew that, for her, the best fashion to ward off a bad mood was to see a happy movie. Y'all eat craven soup to ward off the common cold. And some people say that y'all can use garlic to ward off vampires and keep them from sucking your blood.
Staving off something sounds much more official. We use "stave off" in adequately serious situations, such as ship-wrecked survivors who staved off starvation by eating coconuts for eight months. Here's another case, "The single female parent staved off poverty by working three jobs."
Now, what if you only want to continue your altitude from a person. Y'all don't want to be near them. In this example, you wouldn't use "ward off" or "stave off" or fifty-fifty "at bay." What can you use? Well, we have a not bad expression for keeping distance.
To continue someone at arm's length means you don't want to be shut to that person. Imagine that yous are holding your arm directly out in front end of you. A person can't get shut. And that'southward the point.
Let'southward say, you run across someone. Y'all don't know her very well, but she seems nice -- seems is the important word hither. Slowly over fourth dimension, you learn more about the adult female. And you don't like what you see. She is strange and not in a good way. Y'all catch her in some lies. And she appears to exist a trouble-maker. So, you decide to go on her at arm's length. When you lot don't answer her calls and ignore her emails, she will know you are keeping her at arm'south length.
In this case, you could say you kept her friendship at bay. But you lot were never friends in the first identify. So it sounds more natural to say that you kept her at arm's length.
We here at Learning English have no desire to go on y'all at bay or at arm's length. And nosotros certainly don't want to ward or stave y'all off! You're our audience Without y'all, well, nosotros wouldn't be hither!
I'm Bryan Lynn.
And I'm Anna Matteo.
Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
intangible – adj. not made of physical substance : non able to be touched : not tangible
origin – north. the point or identify where something begins or is created : the source or cause of something
colorlessness – due north. the state of being bored
mood – n. an emotional state of mind or feeling
vampire – northward. a dead person who leaves the grave at night to bite and suck the blood of living people
coconut – n. a big fruit that has a thick trounce with white flesh and liquid inside it and that grows on a palm tree
Source: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/words-and-their-stories-to-keep-at-bay/3956954.html
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