far cry
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a far cry from (something)
1. Vastly different from something. Living in the heart of New York City is certainly a far cry from living in the rural countryside. This sleek sports car is a far cry from the bucket of bolts I drove growing up. You'll find that the competition in the minor leagues is a far cry from what you experienced in high school.
2. A long distance away from something. When it's snowing here, it feels especially like we're a far cry from Hawaii. We're a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the city here on the farm. You're a far cry from Seattle where you live.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
far cry
1. A long way: stuck at the airport in Memphis, a far cry from Maine.
2. Something that is very different from something else: This food is a far cry from what we got in the cafeteria.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
far cry, a
A long way, literally or figuratively. This expression is believed to have its source in measuring one’s distance from an enemy in terms of shouting. Sir Walter Scott indicated (The Legend of Montrose, 1819) that it was a proverbial expression of the Campbell clan, which meant that their ancient hereditary domains lay beyond the reach of invaders. However, the term was already being used figuratively by then.
See also: far
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer