stone's cast
Definition
Noun: "stone's cast" refers to a short distance, specifically the distance that a stone can be thrown by hand. It is used figuratively (in British English) to mean a very short space or interval.
Usage Examples
- (His house is very close to the beach.)
- (The park is within a very short distance.)
Advanced Usage
- "a stone's cast away": an idiomatic phrase meaning very near.
- The school is a stone's cast away from my home. (The school is extremely close.)
- "within a stone's cast": within a short distance.
- We found a café within a stone's cast of the station. (A café very near the station.)
Variants and Related Words
- Stone-cast (noun): an alternative spelling of "stone's cast," meaning the same distance.
- He threw the ball a stone-cast. (He threw the ball a short distance.)
- Stone's throw (noun): a more common synonym for "stone's cast," meaning a short distance.
- It's just a stone's throw from here. (It is very close.)
Synonyms
- Short distance: a small amount of space.
- Spit: (informal) a very short distance, as in "a spit away."
- Step: a brief walk, as in "a step from the door."
Related Idioms
- A stone's throw: the most common idiomatic equivalent, meaning a very short distance.
- The hotel is a stone's throw from the airport. (The hotel is extremely close.)
- Within earshot: close enough to hear someone, similar in proximity.
- They were within earshot of the conversation. (They were very near.)
Note on Usage
"Stone's cast" is less common than "stone's throw" in modern English, but both are used figuratively to indicate proximity. It is primarily found in British English and literary contexts.