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striking distance. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
striking distance, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
striking distance in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Noun
striking distance (countable and uncountable, plural striking distances)
- (military) A distance at which a soldier, military force, vessel, etc. is sufficiently near to be able to attack an opponent.
1845, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 19, in Satanstoe:"Nay, sir, a soldier, who is about to be posted within striking distance of his enemy, can never speak, with confidence, of separations that are to be short."
1900, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Paardeberg”, in The Great Boer War, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., , →OCLC, page 337:The two brigades at either end of the Boer lines had lost no chance of pushing in, and now they had come within striking distance.
- (figurative) A distance at which one is sufficiently near to an objective to have an opportunity to achieve it.
1917, Victor Appleton, chapter 4, in Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders:I'm working on an invention of a new aeroplane stabilizer, and if I go now it will be just at a time when I am within striking distance of success.
1990 November 12, Christopher Redman et al., “Europe An Island No More Hello! Allo!”, in Time:The probe breakthrough confirmed that French and British tunnelers were within striking distance of completing the first tunnel under the English Channel.
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