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four corners of the earth, the

four corners of the earth, the idiom

The far ends of the world; all parts of the world. For example, Athletes came from the four corners of the earth to compete in the Olympics. This expression appeared in the Bible (Isaiah 11:12): “And gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” Although the idea that the earth is a flat plane with actual corners has long been discarded, the term has survived.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.