Meanings
From the fact that while crows fly to their source of food, their flight bypasses obstacles like rivers and terrain. Compare beeline.
How to pronounce "as the crow flies":
AU
In a straight line distance between two locations, as opposed to the road distance or over land distance.
Example: "It is 15 kilometers as the crow flies."
Example Sentences
1
The distance from New York City to Los Angeles is approximately 2,448 miles as the crow flies.
2
The store is only a mile away as the crow flies, but it takes longer to drive there due to the winding roads.
3
I can see my friend's house from my balcony, it's just a few blocks away as the crow flies.
4
The hiking trail is 10 miles as the crow flies, but it will probably take us longer to complete due to the terrain.
5
The two towns are quite close as the crow flies, but there is a river between them making the actual journey longer.
