Rome wasn't built in a day
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Rome wasn't built in a day
proverb Major undertakings are not completed all at once. A: "I've been working on my thesis all day and only wrote three pages." B: "Well, Rome wasn't built in a day."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
Rome was not built in a day.
Prov. It takes a lot of time to achieve something important. Professor: When will you finish your research project? Student: It'll take me a while. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Rome wasn't built in a day
Important work takes time. This expression functions as an injunction or plea for someone to be patient. For example, You can't expect her to finish this project in the time allotted; Rome wasn't built in a day . This phrase was a French proverb in the late 1100s but was not recorded in English until 1545.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Rome was not built in a day
People say Rome was not built in a day to point out that it takes a long time to do a task properly, and you should not rush it or expect to do it quickly. Only two people I interviewed were charitable about the new government. `Rome wasn't built in a day,' one man said `Let's give them more time.' These things take time. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
Rome was not built in a day
a complex or ambitious task is bound to take a long time and should not be rushed.This warning against rashness and impatience has been current in English since the mid 16th century.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
Rome wasn’t built in a ˈday
(saying) it takes time, patience, and hard work to do a difficult or important job: She asked me why the report wasn’t finished yet so I reminded her that Rome wasn’t built in a day.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
Rome was not built in a day
Be patient; major achievements take time. This expression was already a proverb in the late twelfth century, and then appeared in two famous English proverb collections of the sixteenth century, Richard Taverner’s (1539) and John Heywood’s (1546). The saying is still current.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer