bowshot

bowshot

English

Etymology

bow +‎ shot

Noun

bowshot (plural bowshots)

1. (archery) The act of firing an arrow from a bow
   • 1900, Edward Walford, John Charles Cox, George Latimer Apperson, The Antiquary, page 113:

     It is, however, interesting in connection with that fact to remember that the last bowshot in English warfare was fired during the Civil War.

2. The distance that the arrow of an average archer can effectively travel.
   • 1862, William Laxton, “On rifled guns and projectiles adapted for attacking armour plate defences”, in The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal, page 395:

     If you will obligingly, set up your armour targets within a shortened range, say, for instance, a Robin Hood bowshot of 200 yards, you shall see what the brute force of the old smooth-bore will do.

   • 1994, Henry Gilbert, Robin Hood, page 48:

     They are within a bowshot of the kirk door.