Johnny Cash sings a song called 'family circle' and in it there's a line that goes ' you could hear us singin' for a country mile'
My house mate thinks it's just a mile that seems to go on for ever, like looking across fields can look endless.
Does anyone know for sure?
I'm kinda hoping it's not, because if he's right then I have to make the tea all day..
Can any prove him wrong?
2007-03-12 05:50:54 · 10 answers · asked by Pretty Tough Girl 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
A country mile is an informal term used to mean a great distance, significantly longer than a real mile. The term has a number of possible derivations:
People living in rural areas may considerably underestimate a distance ("Go that way for about a mile, then turn left...")
Country roads often meander, increasing the distance that must be travelled between two locations, compared to the distance measured in a straight line.
It takes longer to traverse unfavourable terrain, increasing the perceived distance between two places.
2007-03-12 05:55:17 · answer #1 · answered by Jason O 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Walking in Derbyshire near Whatstandwell we asked a man how far it was to the nearest pub he pointed across the field and said "About a stone's throw over there." After walking for half an hour we came to the pub and my father remarked "They can throw bloody stones a long way, around here." I guess that was a country mile.
2007-03-13 06:20:56 · answer #2 · answered by bo nidle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I LOVE this saying. It originally comes from the fact that people would give directions without knowing how far it was, especially in the country, a country mile would always be a lot longer as it was badly estimated
xxR
2007-03-12 05:56:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it was assumed that distances were farther in the country so a country mile is very long
2007-03-12 08:42:23 · answer #4 · answered by Experto Credo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Earl Grey or English Breakfast?
.
2007-03-12 22:56:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, a country mile is infinite.
2007-03-12 07:42:23 · answer #6 · answered by rockdodger 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put the kettle on it's time for tea ,sorry.
2007-03-12 10:19:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
IS A COUNTRY MILE NOT RELATED TO THE ACREAGE OF THE FARMLAND
2007-03-14 05:26:23 · answer #8 · answered by colin050659 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the house mate is right, just an expression
2007-03-12 05:54:50 · answer #9 · answered by scrabblemaven 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yep Jason O is spot on !!
2007-03-12 06:47:39 · answer #10 · answered by nicemanvery 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋