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snail

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at a snail's pace

Very slowly (as a snail is known to move very slowly). My research is moving at a snail's pace—every experiment I've tried so far has failed. We'll never get there on time with you driving at a snail's pace!

See also: pace

at a snail's pace

 and at a snail's gallop

very slowly. Things are moving along at a snail's pace here, but we'll finish on time—have no fear. Poor old Wally is creeping at a snail's gallop because his car has a flat tire.

See also: pace

at a snail's pace

very slowly The action moves at a snail's pace in this film, as if all the characters were asleep.

Etymology: from the fact that a snail (a small animal with a round shell) moves very slowly

See also: pace

at a snail's pace

very slowly

Usage notes: A snail is a small animal with a shell that moves very slowly.

The roads were full of traffic and we were travelling at a snail's pace.

See also: pace

snail mail

  (humorous)

the system of sending letters through the post What's your preferred means of communication? Fax, email or snail mail?

See also: mail, snail

snail mail

Ordinary postal service, as opposed to electronic communications. For example, He hasn't taken to his computer so he's still using snail mail. This slangy idiom, alluding to the alleged slowness of the snail, caught on at least partly for its rhyme. [1980s]

See also: mail, snail

snail's pace

A very slow pace, as in They're making progress with testing the new vaccine, but at a snail's pace. [c. 1400]

See also: pace

at a snail’s pace

and at a snail’s gallop

mod. very slowly. Poor old Willy is creeping at a snail’s gallop because his car has a flat tire. The building project is coming along at a snail’s pace.

See also: pace

at a snail’s gallop

verb

See at a snail’s pace

See also: gallop

snail-mail

n. post office mail; regular mail as opposed to electronic mail. (Refers to the slowness of regular mail in comparison to electronic mail or faxes.) There are lots of color pictures in the article, so I will send you the original by snail-mail.