The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท D

Down the road a piece

Meaning

A vague, folksy way of saying that a location is a short distance away. It does not necessarily mean a specific mile marker, just 'a little bit further.'

Folksy, vague

Used in a sentence

  • The gas station is just down the road a piece.
  • My uncle lives down the road a piece from the old schoolhouse.
  • Keep walking down the road a piece and you will see the farmhouse.

The backstory

This phrase is quintessentially Southern and rural. 'Piece' is an old English term for a portion of distance, often used when someone does not want to commit to a specific measurement.

Heard in

The South

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