Forms: 3–5 bow(e)schote, 6 -shote, bow-shotte, 7–8 bowshoot(e, 7– bowshot. [f. BOW sb.1 + SHOT sb.] The distance to which an arrow can be shot from a bow.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 3491. A bowe-schote fro the brynke.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xiii. 316. More than fowre bowschote.
c. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, xcv. 308. Themperour … auaunsyd hym selfe a bowe shote before his companye.
1652. Cotterell, Cassandra, I. v. 474. Within a Bow-shoot of their gates.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), II. II. 101. Within bowshot of it.
1814. Scott, Wav., viii. About a bow-shot from the end of the village.
