Definition

Noun: - A very short distance: This phrase describes a distance that is very small, often implying that a place is easily reachable or very near. It originates from the idea of how far one can throw a stone.

Usage

The phrase "a stone's throw" is always used with an indefinite article ("a") and is typically followed by "from" to indicate the point of reference. It functions as a noun phrase, often as the subject or object of a sentence, or after a linking verb like "is" or "was".

Examples

• The beach is a stone's throw from our hotel.
• I live just a stone's throw from the city center.
• The new café is only a stone's throw away.

Advanced Usage

• "A stone's throw away": This is a common variant where "away" is added for emphasis, but the meaning remains identical to "a stone's throw."
  • The station is a stone's throw away from here.
• Used to emphasize proximity in comparisons.
  • Compared to the long commute I used to have, my new office is a stone's throw.

Variants and Related Words

• Stone's cast (noun): An older, less common synonym with the same meaning.
  • The inn was within a stone's cast of the castle walls.

Synonyms

• A short distance
• A hop, skip, and a jump (idiomatic)
• A short walk
• A stone's cast

Related Idioms

• Within spitting distance: (Informal, slightly vulgar) Meaning very close by.
• A hop, skip, and a jump: An idiomatic expression for a very short distance.
• Right around the corner: Can mean very nearby, either literally or figuratively (e.g., an event about to happen).

Noun

1. a short distance
   • it's only a step to the drugstore