BERTH  , originally a nautical

term, probably connected with the verb " to bear," first found in literature at the end of the 16th century, with the alternative spelling " birth." Its primary meaning is " sea-room," whether on the high seas or at anchor . Hence the phrase " to give a wide berth to," meaning " to keep at a safe distance from," both in its literal and its metaphorical use . From meaning sea-room for a ship at anchor, " berth " comes to mean also the position of a ship at her moorings (" to berth a ship ") . The word further means any place on a ship allotted for a special purpose, where the men mess or sleep, or an office or appointment on board, whence the word has passed into colloquial use with the meaning of a situation or employment . From the Icelandic byrdi, a board, is also derived the ship-building term " berth," meaning to board, put up bulk-heads, etc .