English Idiom – A stone’s throw

Meaning – A short distance away from something. Not very far.

  • If something is a stone’s throw away the presumption is that you could throw a stone and hit it. In reality the actual meaning of this expression is suggesting that something is close, but the actual distance is relative to the context.
Usage:

When could you use this idiom?

  • A friend is buying a house that is close to yours.
  • Somebody is getting tired of walking but you have nearly reached your destination.
  • You are describing how close your location is to something.
  • You are suggesting a local restaurant for dinner but your friend is being lazy, and refusing to walk!
Example:
  • “Have you seen Robert’s humongous new house? It’s a stone’s throw from Wembley stadium!”
In The News:
Discuss:
  • Is there an idiom like this in your country?
What is an idiom?

An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally.  An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.