make haste

Idioms and Phrases

Also, make it snappy . Hurry up, move or act quickly, as in If you don't make haste we'll be late , or Make it snappy, kids . The first expression was first recorded in Miles Coverdale's 1535 translation of the Bible (Psalms 39:13): “Make haste, O Lord, to help me.” The variant dates from the early 1900s and uses snappy in the sense of “resembling a sudden jerk.” The oxymoron make haste slowly , dating from the mid-1700s, is a translation of the Latin festina lente . It is used either ironically, to slow someone down (as in You'll do better if you make haste slowly ), or to comment sarcastically on a lack of progress (as in So far the committee has been making haste slowly ).

Example Sentences

So make haste this week to tie up loose ends, especially the busy work of returning calls and emails.

From The Daily Beast

Make haste, Mr. Lowten,” Perker called out, “we shall have the panels beaten in.

From Project Gutenberg

Then make haste, for I shall give orders to start within five minutes.

From Project Gutenberg

And the gruff voice of the drayman, growing impatient in the antechamber: "Come, come, make haste."

From Project Gutenberg

Oh miss, make haste and let me do your hair, and put it on you!'

From Project Gutenberg

But the barest prudence told him that he should make haste for the open.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• barrel
• bolt
• break
• charge
• chase
• dash
• dispatch
• fly
• hustle
• press
• push
• run
• scramble
• scurry
• shoot
• sprint
• zip