Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-26
Meaning: Verified- Meaning and lesson
The saying observes that work done well and work completed fast do not often coincide. It favors the expectation that care, skill, and thoroughness usually require time.
It can caution against demanding both exceptional quality and immediate results. The wording presents a practical tendency rather than a rule: swift work may be good, but one should not assume that it will be.
- When it is used
Use it when discussing a task whose quality may suffer under haste, or when tempering unrealistic expectations about rapid delivery. It suits a reflective comment on workmanship, planning, or careful decision-making rather than a precise promise about outcomes.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Good and quickly seldom meet.