As the crow flies

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"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.

An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S. state of Florida where the direct route by road is about 792 mi (1,275 km) and the direct point-to-point aerial transit path that might be taken by a crow is 524 mi (843 km).

The phrase is attested in print as early as 1800.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001). "Crow (n.)". Crow (n.). http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=As+the+crow+flies. Retrieved 2008-02-12. 

[edit] External links

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