subs. (colloquial).—A drone: cf. SLUG. Hence as verb. (or TO GO AT A SNAIL’S PACE or GALLOP) = to move very slowly.

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  1582.  STANYHURST, Æneid, iv. 689. This sayd shee trots on SNAYLING, lyk a toothshaken old hagge.

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  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, ii. 2, 196. Thou drone, thou SNAIL, thou slug, thou sot.

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  1725.  N. BAILEY, trans. The Colloquies of Erasmus, i. 73. I see what Haste you make, you are never the forwarder, you go A SNAIL’S GALLOP.

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  1748.  RICHARDSON, Clarissa, iv. 124. SNAIL ON in a track we are acquainted with.

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  1821.  COMBE, Dr. Syntax, III. iii. He, by degrees, would seldom fail    T’ adopt THE GALLOP OF A SNAIL.

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