FATHOM OUT ORIGIN
Monday March 1st, 2010
FATHOM OUT
The term used to describe working something out from the facts is derived from the use of the measurement ‘fathom’ which was the distance from finger tip to finger tip (approx 6ft). To ascertain the depth of the water below a ship a weighted rope was used with knots tied at six feet intervals. This simple method of calculation was known as ‘fathoming out’.
