slow-goingadj.
/ˌsləʊˈɡəʊɪŋ/, /ˈsləʊˌɡəʊɪŋ/, U.S. /ˌsloʊˈɡoʊɪŋ/, /ˈsloʊˌɡoʊɪŋ/ 1. That moves or goes (relatively) slowly; making slow progress, slow-paced.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > [adjective] > moving slowly
slowa1398
slow-movingc1450
slow-bellied1554
lazya1568
slow-footed1587
slow-paced1594
leaden-footed1596
snaily1596
snail-paced1597
dragglinga1599
leaden-heeled1598
ambling1600
slow-foot1607
sluggisha1616
slow-pacing1616
tortoise-paced1623
slow-going1634
leaden-stepping1645
tardigradous1652
tardigrade1656
snail-crawleda1658
dawdling1773
loitering1791–2
slow-stepping1793
creepy1794
lugging1816
tortoise-footed1818
crawling1820
creepy-crawly1858
slowing1877
lead-foot1896
soodling1951
1634 W. H. True Picture & Relation Prince Henry 21 Is it not better to resemble a horse, which is a courageous beast, then a dull and slow going Asse as you are?
1660 Guillim's Display of Heraldrie (ed. 4) iii. xviii. 212 The Snaile..carrieth on her back no lesse a burden than her whole house; for which cause she is called Tardigrada Domiporta, the slow-going House-bearer.
1791 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 81 136 The equal rate of motion of..a number of camels together, where the rate will be determined by the slow-going ones.
1894 Outing 24 382/1 The wild and unusual gesticulations of that slow-going old pacer had broken the harness.
1964 C. A. Buss Asia in Mod. World (new ed.) ii. xi. 220 Economic progress was slow-going.
2019 Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) (Nexis) 16 Apr. Rudin drove his pickup into an oncoming lane to pass a slow-going truck on a narrow road.
2. Of a person or a person's mind, etc.: not quick to take action, not quick in thinking; disinclined to be active or enterprising. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > [adjective]
unlustyc1225
sleepyc1384
phlegmatica1400
listlessc1440
owlist1440
unlisty1440
phlegmyc1450
sweyntc1450
supine1554
resty1565
unactive1591
sleepy-headed1600
log-like1602
inertious1611
stupefied?1611
lethargic1612
sedentary1625
torpent1647
torpid1656
torpulent1657
softly1664
inert1774
vegetative1789
spiritless1798
unenergetic1805
sloomy1820
slow-going1825
inenergetic1826
comatose1828
moony1847
mooning1864
torpid-minded1909
narcoleptic1965
vegged1986
the mind > emotion > calmness > unexcitability > [adjective] > phlegmatic
phlegmatica1400
phlegmyc1450
sprightlessa1522
spiritless1595
unspirited1621
inexcitable?1624
pituitous1658
slow-going1825
soggy1896
1825 R. Mudie Babylon the Great I. xi. 230 The performance of real business requires more dull and slow-going agents than those splendid members of the House.
1833 T. Hook Parson's Daughter I. ii. 29 This love at first sight, has often been a subject of ridicule amongst slow-going people.
1859 A. Helps Friends in Council New Ser. I. v. 205 Was his one of those slow-going intellects we sometimes..read of?
1971 A. E. Adams & J. S. Adams Men versus Syst. ii. xi. 157 In marked contrast to the air of apathy that seemed to surround the slow-going people on the state farms we had seen earlier, this atmosphere was saturated with commitment to the enterprise and enthusiasm for the work involved.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1634