As the Crow Flies – Meaning, Origin & Usage

Ever asked for directions only to be told “as the crow flies” and been totally stumped? Don’t worry – this article is going to break it all down. We’ll cover the meaning and the origins of the term, including its use as a metaphor.

What does the phrase “as the crow flies” mean?

The phrase “as the crow flies” simply means by taking the most direct route (which is usually a straight line).

The historical origins of the phrase “as the crow flies”

The precise origin of the phrase “as the crow flies” is not yet known, although we do know that it dates back to at least the early 1800’s. This is because the phrase appears in the book Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens and published in 1838.

In the book, when Bill is running from a crowd with Oliver, a person in the crowd says “They fired and hit the boy. We cut over the fields at the back, with him between us–straight as the crow flies–through hedge and ditch. They gave chase. Damme! the whole country was awake, and the dogs were upon us.”

The phrase is believed to be based on the observation that crows tend to fly in a steady line. 

The literal vs. the figurative use of the phrase

While the phrase may have originally been meant in the physical sense of the shortest path to get somewhere, the phrase can also be used in a more figurative sense.

For example, it could refer to obtaining an object by buying it yourself rather than manipulating someone into getting it or achieving it for you. In other words, it could refer to going about something directly, as opposed to going about something in a more round-about way, such as by asking a yes or no question straight away, rather than building up to it.

Similar expressions in the english language

Here are some similar expressions that can often be used in place of the phrase “as the crow flies” that are perhaps easier to follow and understand:

• beeline
• direct route
• in the direction of
• most direct route
• shortest route
• dead straight
• straight as an arrow
• straight line
• directly
• without deviation
• squarely
• smack-dab

Use of the phrase “as the crow flies” in literature and the media

There has been a film called As The Crow Flies released in 1991. There have been songs called As The Crow Flies by Rory Gallagher and Johnny Cash. The phrase has often been used in classic literature, including Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad (1869), and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937)

Final word

So in short, the phrase “as the crow flies” means “in the most direct way”. The phrase appears to be relatively recent. The phrase is believed to be based on the observation that crows tend to fly in a steady line, and one of the earliest known instances of the phrase in print comes from Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist in 1938.