Far be it from me to tell you how to live.
far be it
idiomA disclaimer stating that something should not come to pass, or that a person would never do or think a certain thing.
Origin
disputed originCalque of Latin absit ("may it be away"), found in the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible as part of the phrase absit hoc a me ("may this [thing] be away from me") at 1 Samuel 2:30, 1 Samuel 22:15 and 2 Samuel 20:20. Wyclif translated the phrase "Fer be this fro me"; the King James Version at 2 Samuel 20:20 has "Far be it from me".
Far be it from me to criticize your cooking, but the soup needs a little more salt.
Far be it from me to question the wisdom of the board, yet I must point out the risks in this new strategy.
- 01
a bridge too far
A step or action that is too ambitious; an act of overreaching.
- 02
as far as one knows
To the best of one's knowledge, as far as someone knows or possible information to be gathered about the topic, subject, aspect, or situation.
- 03
far and away
By a large degree or margin; greatly (used before comparative and superlative adjectives).
- 04
far cry
A long distance, in terms of dissimilarity or difference.
- 05
far post
The goalpost furthest from where a cross is made.
- 06
few and far between
Rare and scarce; hard to find.
- 07
go far
To attain success, especially from humble origins; achieve a great deal.
- 08
go so far as
To reach an unexpected extent in doing something.