[Ads-l] spades (distance)

[Barretts Mail]

Based on some of the sources, this might be Irish English usage. It seems to mean “steps” or “a short distance”.

https://www.caudata.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-51810.html <https://www.caudata.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-51810.html>
timg
11 Dec 2007
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I live two minutes from the irish sea, where there is a plentiful supply of ragworms, just a couple of spades away, and...
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https://dokumen.tips/documents/st-ives-local-janfeb-2016-edition.html <https://dokumen.tips/documents/st-ives-local-janfeb-2016-edition.html>
St. Ives Local
Jan/Feb 2016
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Once you have established your soil type, success is only a few spades away.
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http://apocalypsewriters.com/blog/2014/07/24/i-see-a-red-door/ <http://apocalypsewriters.com/blog/2014/07/24/i-see-a-red-door/>
K. J. Joyner

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Going to the 50’s not only steered me away from the five panel look of our door, it stepped spades away from the way the door was constructed. 
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Benjamin Barrett
Formerly of Seattle, WA
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