real English?

[Kjetil Rå Hauge]

David Powelstock wrote:
>  I've never heard it, either, but a google search turns up 188 hits, so
> someone's using it. It would be interesting to know what its regional or
> other distribution is.

Apparently, this piece of phraseology previously allowed you to throw 
almost anything you might have at hand. The OED defines "throw" as "6. 
The distance to which anything may or is to be thrown: often qualified, 
as a stone's throw" giving among the examples:

"The enimyes were come, within the throwe of a Dart" (1582)
"The two Cavaliers had now approach'd within a Throw of a Lance" (1704, 
Swift; explains the 'arm's throw')
"The vessel steamed within a biscuit-throw of the southern cliffs." (1893)


-- 
---
Kjetil Rå Hauge, U. of Oslo, PO Box 1003 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway
Tel. +47/22856710, fax +47/22854140

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