"The way the crow flies" can be used as a very clumsy equivalent to "as the crow flies." Definition: The shortest distance from one place to another. You have travelled 4 miles along the circular track, so there are 5 more miles left to go until you return to your starting point. the country that those Indians inhabit is upwards of 400 miles broad, and above 600 long, each as the crow flies.". It means in a straight line from point A to point B -- when there are no roads straight there. | Report image. However, in this case it had a different meaning, traveling many places but only stopping at a few. as the crow flies definition: 1. used to say that a distance is measured in a straight line between two points or places 2. used…. Definition of as the crow flies in the AudioEnglish.org Dictionary. As the crow flies means in a straight line from one place to another. Patrick: Hey, man! Suppose we stipulate that travel … Crows are said to have been kept on ships and when the sailors suspected that they were close to land they would let the crows out. By scalar. Ricardo: Yeah. If you would draw a straight line from where you start to where you are going and travel that line as if you were flying straight as a crow, bypassing all of the turns and curves of a city street. :) It is unhindered by obstacles and can fly in a straight line. 7 Answers. For example -- you ask me how far is it from Bob's house to Mark's house. Meaning of as the crow flies. The nearest hotel is about 24 kilometers away, There is a beautiful hill station about 20 miles away. Another example from 1798 indicates that the phrase was well known during this time. It is not a route that must stick to a road, go around obstacles, or stop at a body of water. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms: This idiom is based on the fact that crows, very intelligent birds, fly straight to the nearest food supply. Learn more. It refers to the fact that the crow is a very intelligent creature and would not take a long route if a short one was available. As the crow flies means “in a straight line” or moving about from point a to point b without deviation for obstructions. The sailors would then sail in the direction that they crow flew. With larger roosts, crows may be spread out over many trees in a clustered area. After I did this, it told the distance, and then added "as the crow flies". What does as the crow flies mean? roddy70605. "The Spaniard, if on foot, always travels as the crow flies…", Meaning: to bury or cover something or somebody in the snow (Literal meaning), Example: I feel snowed under with all the work my boss keeps throwing my way. as the crow flies phrase If you say that a place is a particular distance away as the crow flies , you mean that it is that distance away measured in a straight line. It is the straightest line to get where you are going. Nowadays, this phrase is typically used as a reference for the distance between two points. Trivia Quiz - World Cities: As The Crow Flies Category: Cities of the World Quiz #213,005. Like so many sayings, it’s origins are obscure. The equivalent French phrase does not refer to a specific bird species: it is à vol d’oiseau, literally by bird flight. The term as the crow flies first appears in the 1760s, to describe actual distances not influenced by landmarks or detours. I recently came across a web site that would let you enter in two locations to find the distance between the two. What does as the crow flies mean? –. 10 trivia questions, rated Average. 0 … as the crow flies translation in English-Danish dictionary. Location 1: Location 2: As the crow flies: Driving: Start location: End location: © 1987–2020 HERE | Terms of use. Full screen. Black crows were considered as a spirit animal in ancient cultures of the world. This Here is an example conversation between two friends who are discussing the location of a party they will both be attending in the evening. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference? Read on. It is unhindered by obstacles and can fly in a straight line. as the crow flies: 1 adv by the shortest and most direct route “it's 10 miles as the crow flies ” what does 'The way the crow flies' mean? It is not very helpful, however, for giving detailed directions because it does not take into account all the twists and turns one would have to take to get around big buildings, mountains, or other obstacles on the ground. The phrase "as the crow flies" is roughly defined as meaning "in a straight line" or, put another way, without having to account for irregular terrain or a winding path. It is often associated with magic, mysteries, intellect, and foresight. Although this story seems plausible, it seems as if is not the true origin of the idiom. It means you will be 5 miles before your starting point, measured along the circular track. It also stated the Nautical distance which was lower. As the crow flies definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. It’s about half a mile north of here, as the crow flies. The English idiom as the crow flies is a popular way to describe the shortest distance from point A to point B, without worrying about the objects in between. Crows will find their sleeping spot on branches on the tree. n. pl. It urges you to be determined on your goals and stay fearless. : Yes, I believe so. Generally used when discussing distances. as the crow flies used to refer to a shorter distance in a straight line across country rather than the distance as measured along a more circuitous road. What does the expression “as the crow flies” mean? You'll actually be about 3 miles from your starting point, measured as the crow flies. ". Each question in this quiz asks you to look at four pairs of famous cities from around the world and tell which pair is separated by the longest great circle distance. The term 'the crow road' has long been used in Scotland to denote the most direct route. The crows would then find the most direct route to a source of food, which could be found on land. I heard you’re going to the party later tonight. It’s great to use this expression to give a reference for a location. Do you know where it is? Imagine how a crow would fly. Information and translations of as the crow flies in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. What does the saying, "As the Crow Flies" mean? as the crow flies means --- the exact distances-- from one point to another, the shortest way. Crows are said to have been kept on ships and when the sailors suspected that they were close to land they would let the crows out. ‘But we're only about 45 miles, as the crow flies, away from New Orleans.’ ‘By the time we reached Roman Road, only half a mile as the crow flies from our starting point, the bus was jam-packed full and sailing past the waiting queues.’ ‘At the end of the day, we intend moving only 20 miles away, as the crow flies.’ ‘The Spaniard, if on foot, always travels as the crow flies, which the openness and dryness of the country permits; neither rivers nor the steepest mountains stop his course, he swims over the one and scales the other.’ – The London Review Of English And Foreign Literature. that might hinder one's travel. As the crow flies. A crow, seeing as it flies, does not need to change course to avoid obstacles, so it can fly in a straight line anywhere. The crows would then find t… Home » Phrase and Idiom Dictionary » What Does As the Crow Flies Mean? Information about as the crow flies in the AudioEnglish.org dictionary, synonyms and antonyms. It would take the shortest route from starting point to destination. 1 decade ago . It refers to the fact that the crow is a very intelligent creature and would not take a long route if a short one was available. In Reply to: The way the crow flies posted by ESC on July 01, 2005: : Does "the way the crow flies" mean the same as "as the crow flies"? However, it’s not necessarily the best choice for giving detailed directions on how to get to a place by car or on foot. If you drive a car and follow the streets - it is 3.5 miles, but 'as the crow flies' (like if you could just zoom straight there) it is only 2 miles. en This definition explains why, when a seaport is involved, the combined transport concept entails compliance with two conditions at the same time: the sea leg must be in excess of 100 km as the crow flies and the (initial and final) road legs cannot exceed 150 km as the crow flies. Posted by Smokey Stover on July 02, 2005. Ricardo: Actually, by car, it’s closer to a mile and a half since the road has to go around the mountain. Meaning of as the crow flies. There is no definite origin for the phrase, but one theory is that it is related to sailing. 18)... the average distance that each molecule travels (as the crow flies) from its starting point is proportional to the square root of the time... 19)... 15 miles by car and 10 miles as the crow flies from New Orleans. Definition: measured in distance by air Example: We’re just 12 miles from town as the crow flies, but with these mountain roads the driving distance is more like 20. Rather, it tells the person the distance if he or she could go there directly, without worrying about objects blocking the way. For example: The north rim of the Grand Canyon is roughly 10 miles away from the south rim—well within the 40-mile rule bubble—but it is 200 miles away “as the crow drives.” –, Whether you are calculating air miles for rewards programs or your own curiosity, you can calculate “as the crow flies” or by the path most often taken from airport to airport. Previously, the distance was drawn in a straight line, or “as the crow flies.” But geography often made this measurement unhelpful and misleading. The crow spirit animal signifies wisdom for this black feathered creature is extremely intelligent. No, it doesn't mean 5 miles as the crow flies. Crows generally fly in direct routes between two places, as the crow flies is an idiom that is drawn from the direct observation of nature. The phrase has been in use since the 1700s. Crow or Crows 1. A crow, the inspiration for the term "as the crow flies. as the crow flies: in a straight line. As the crow flies , it's three hundred miles to get to Chicago. The phrase as the crow flies means in a straight, direct line, as opposed to the longer route required by a road. This idiom is often used when talking about the relative distance between two different places. One of the earliest examples of the phrase can be found in The Gentleman's and London Magazine from 1761. " The Spaniaad [sic], if on foot, always travels as the crow flies, which the openness and dryness of the country permits; neither rivers nor the steepest mountains stop his course, he swims over the one and scales the other. Definition of as the crow flies in the Definitions.net dictionary. It's giving you the mileage if you measured it on a map, not if you actually drove it. Actually, the phrase was used in print even earlier, in the 1758 work The Critical Review: Or Annals of Literature, Volume 4. Relevance. The phrase has been in use since the 1700s. 20) The expression is " as the crow flies ", … Look it up now! This is no longer the meaning we use today. It is a fanciful saying that reminds us that obstacles often lie between us and our destinations and that birds are free to move without impediment. A member of a Native American people formerly inhabiting an area of the northern Great Plains between the Platte and Yellowstone Rivers, now located in southeast Montana. Subscribe to our new updates in your email. As the Crow Flies Meaning Definition: The shortest distance from one place to another. A straight line from point A to point B. Get it? “As the crow flies” refers to the most direct route from one place to another. 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