Origin of A List as Long as My Arm

[SarahCD]

Please could you tell me where this comes from - it is becoming competitive in the office to find out !

[Octavius]

I don't think it really comes from anything.  Many phrases or expressons were derived from 'arms' to exaggerate the meaning of far-reaching.  Hence, the 'long and strong arm of the law (Dickens)' and 'it cost me an arm and a leg' or 'I'd give my right arm for a ....".  The latter of which may well date back to times when obtaining that item may well have cost you your right arm! 

 

Kings have long arms is a proverb from 1539, meaning that they can always get hold of you!

Therefore (and I stand corrected if other ABers prove otherwise) but there isn't really any "story" behind the phrase, other than the desire of whoever came up with the metaphor to impress the listener with the outrageous extent of something.

[Clanad]

Actually, an "A" list consists of those in the upper echelon's of society, entertainment, sport's, etc.  These are the people most desired to attend exclusive parties or other social events.  Therefore, an "A" list as long as my arm would simply mean the person being discussed is very well connected and has access to society's percieved elite...

[Quizmonster]

The earliest recorded use of the actual phrase 'as long as my arm' is in James Fenimore Cooper's novel 'Redskins', published in 1846 and reads: "Leases as long as my arm, I calcerlate" (sic). It may well have been around in speech prior to that along with other "arm+length" phrases, but in a sense that could conceivably be the origin, as there is no evidence that anyone else ever did use it earlier.

[jocook17]

Its from the time when letters and documents took the form of scrolls - a roll of paper. A long letter or a long list took an arms length to unroll fully and read - think of the action of reading a scroll. A small list would only take perhaps a hand or forearms worth