A long pole used to propel, steer, or brake a barge, typically about 15-20 feet long.
Compound of 'barge' (flat-bottomed boat from Greek 'baris') + 'pole' (from Old English 'pol,' meaning a stick or shaft). The term emerged in English during the medieval period when barge transportation was common.
The phrase 'wouldn't touch it with a bargepole' means to avoid something completely, suggesting that even the longest tool available wouldn't make you willing to engage with something—a perfect example of how working-class vocabulary enters everyday language.
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