at a snail's pace
Meaning: Very slowly.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Traffic moved at a snail's pace all the way to the airport.”
Category: Animals
Origin: Snails are the proverbial slow creature. The comparison is found in English from the 14th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Un train de sénateur — literally: A senator's pace
More idioms — Animals
- the lean years — A period of hardship and scarcity.
- worship the golden calf — To value money and wealth above everything.
- ants in one's pants — Restless, unable to sit still.
- blistering barnacles — A comic exclamation of surprise or anger.
- a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush — It is better to keep what you have than risk it for something more uncertain.
- hightail it — To leave in a great hurry.
More English idioms
- no picnic — Not easy or pleasant.
- a witch hunt — A campaign to find and punish people, driven by fear or suspicion rather than evidence.
- a poisoned chalice — Something that seems attractive but brings trouble to whoever accepts it.
- at the top of one's lungs — As loudly as possible.
- Captain Obvious — A mocking name for someone who states the obvious.
- think the moon is made of green cheese — To be very gullible.
From our untranslatable words
- Iktsuarpok — The restless anticipation that makes you keep stepping outside to see if someone is final…
- Meraki — Pouring your soul, love, and creativity into whatever you do — cooking, art, anything.
- Mångata — The shimmering, road-like reflection the moon casts across water.