more haste, less speed

English edit

Etymology edit

The word speed is used here in the dated sense of “success, luck”, though probably with a pun on the sense “velocity”. Compare the same in Low German je gröter Hast, je minder Spood.

Proverb edit

more haste, less speed

  1. When one is in a hurry, one often ends up having less success and completing a task more slowly.

Translations edit

See also edit

References edit

  • George Latimer Apperson, Martin Manser, Dictionary of Proverbs, Wordsworth Editions, 2006, p. 394 [1]