surely

slowly but surely

At a slow or incremental pace but making steady, dependable progress. I've been writing my thesis slowly but surely—it will probably take me all year to finish it, but it's getting there! A: "Hey, how's the new novel coming along?" B: "Ah, slowly but surely!"

See also: but, slowly, surely

slow but sure

Slow or incremental but yielding steady, dependable progress. It's going to be slow but sure writing my thesis, as I have to balance my part-time job with my research. A: "Hey, how's the new novel coming along?" B: "It's been slow but sure."

See also: but, slow, sure

slow but sure

 and slowly but surely

slow but unstoppable. Bob's progress on his novel was slow but sure. Nancy is finishing the paint job on her house, slowly but surely.

See also: but, slow, sure

slow but sure

Gradual or plodding but certain to finish, as in Slow but sure this book's getting written. This idiom was first recorded in 1562, although the idea is much older. A related phrase appears in the proverb slow and steady wins the race, which is the moral of Aesop's fable about the race between a tortoise and a hare, which stopped to nap during the race and therefore lost.

See also: but, slow, sure

slow but (or and) sure

not quick but achieving the required result eventually. proverb

See also: but, slow, sure

slowly but ˈsurely

used for describing definite but slow progress in something: Attitudes to women at work are changing slowly but surely.

See also: but, slowly, surely