Down to the short rows

Posted by Bruce Kahl March 13, 2000In reply to Down to the short rows posted by sue on March 12, 2000

What is the meaning/origin of "down to the short rows"?

When someone uses the phrase "down to the short rows" the sense is one of conclusion or getting near the end.
So when a political race gets down to the short rows then all the stops are pulled out and things can get quite ugly.
I have no idea as to the origin of this phrase but I do agree that it sounds agricultural.