There is a room where I work and the easiest way to give direction is looking over the tops of dividers and saying, "As the crow flies, right back there by the blue wall..." The last time I said that the person looked at me like I was speaking Martian and never did understand what I meant??? Anyone?
2007-01-27 03:43:04 · 9 answers · asked by Wood Smoke ~ Free2Bme! 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
It is a bit unusual to extend the metaphor to an *indoor* route, but hey - it's the fate of most metaphors to be pushed a bit.
As others have said, it means the directest path, not considering barriers/detours/turns. For example, if point A is due northeast of point B on a rectilinear grid, a trip by car would go east and then north, but a crow's flight would go straight along the diagonal.
Why a crow? Crows tend to perch and hunt in fairly small areas, and then fly directly to another location and nest (or perch/hunt locally in the new place). Thus, when they're flying, they are on their way directly to a definite location.
Contrast this to the flight of eagles, which soar in broad circles, or that of bumblebees, which make many short flights with frequnt changes in direction.
2007-01-27 04:13:15 · answer #1 · answered by Joe S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would not be correct to use the term "as the crow flies" in the situation you just described. Just say "Right back there by the blue wall".
If you asked how far it is to a certain destination, someone might say "Fifty miles as the crow flies but sixty two miles by road" because the road might be winding around mountains and curving here and there - not just in a straight line as a bird would fly.
2007-01-27 12:43:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Common by mid 1700's in England, used in America but "Bee line" was very American in usage.
To take a bee line," meaning "as straight as the crow flies,"
"As the snake burrows,", A carrion-crow does not fly so straight,
"in a crow line",
in a " bee-line"—" like arrow darting"
"Swift as the eagle flies" meant speed
"path of the Indian" in Peru refers to the same thing but how the natives of the Andes move
To put salt on a bird's tail, One swallow does not make a summer, Birds of passage,
A bird's-eye view, As the crow flies, A wild-goose chase,
2007-01-27 04:29:26 · answer #3 · answered by cruisingyeti 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It goes back to early US or earlier. The crow is the most common bird, so you say crow instead of bird. The modern followup is "or as the crow walks and carries a gas can".
for example, it is 1.5 miles as the crow flies or 3 miles as he walks and carries a gas can.
2007-01-27 03:53:04 · answer #4 · answered by sethsdadiam 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
as the crow flies is taking a straight line. not having to follow the roads.
2007-01-27 03:47:08 · answer #5 · answered by conundrum_dragon 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
not sure of the origin, but it means a direct , straight path,, like the crow would fly in the air, would not have to go around anything
2007-01-27 03:47:42 · answer #6 · answered by dlin333 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Used to be a way to show map direct routes before airplanes could actually accomplish shuch routes
2007-01-27 03:47:29 · answer #7 · answered by walter_b_marvin 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it means a straight line with no obstructions
2007-01-27 03:47:16 · answer #8 · answered by i pack a 44 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'v heard it and use it and see nothing wrong with it.
2007-01-27 04:18:10 · answer #9 · answered by wendy_da_goodlil_witch 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋