at a distance
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Not in close proximity or relationship
Literally: physically or emotionally far apart
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
I've been watching him at a distance, trying to understand his behavior
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “at a distance” mean?
Not in close proximity or relationship Literally: physically or emotionally far apart
Is “at a distance” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.