arm's length

noun, adj — 6 senses

arm's length

noun

1

A distance approximately equal to the length of a human's arm.

I need about ten arm's lengths of yarn.

2

Figuratively A position not suggesting or inviting intimacy.

She remained at arm's length though we worked together for many years.

3

Figuratively A condition of independence and parity for parties to a transaction.

The police work at arm's length from the army.
"Government should have an arms-length relationship with the railway," it adds.2020 April 22, “Labour's blueprint for the future of Britain's railways”, in Rail, page 28:

1 more example

In any viable scenario of renationalisation, the idea was always to ensure that the railways were at arm's length from the Department, since it was recognised that allowing civil servants to run the show is always a bad idea.2020 June 3, Christian Wolmar, “Unworkable policies cripple our beleagered railway”, in Rail, page 51:

Derived terms: arm's length price, arm's length principle

arm's length

adj

1

Literally Barely within reach.

2

Idiomatic Distant, detached.

3

Idiomatic Independent, but related.

Kate Bingham's success is powerful validation of what has been RAIL 's opinion on this key question for many months now: that we must have a new arm's length body, similar to the Vaccine Task Force, to strategically plan and organise our railways... and quickly too.2021 February 24, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Vaccines and railways”, in RAIL, number 925, page 3:

Related terms: armlength

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.