Haste
heɪst
Definitions
2 meaningsRapid action or movement; eagerness to move quickly.
heɪst
Excessive speed or urgency of movement or action.
The fire alarm created a sense of haste among the office workers.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're late for a movie! When you're running fast because you don't want to miss the beginning, that's haste.
👶 For kids: Being in a hurry to do something.
More Examples
She made the decision with undue haste, regretting it later.
In his haste to leave, he forgot his keys.
How It's Used
"The emergency required immediate haste."
"He departed with haste, fearing the storm."
"The King ordered haste in the preparations for war."
To hurry or accelerate the progress of something.
heɪst
To hurry; to be quick.
She hastened to finish her work.
💡 Simply: To make something happen faster. Like when you hurry to finish a project.
👶 For kids: To make something go faster.
More Examples
The rain hastened their decision to go indoors.
Let us hasten the arrival of our guests.
How It's Used
"He hastened to the aid of his friend."
"They hastened their departure to avoid the rain."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
make haste
To hurry or act quickly.
"The coach told the team to make haste and get on the field."
more haste, less speed
Acting too quickly can sometimes cause mistakes and slow progress.
"I know you are eager to finish, but remember, more haste, less speed."
From Old French *haste* (swiftness, eagerness), ultimately from a Germanic source. It's related to the Proto-Germanic word *haistaz* (violent, quick).
Found in Middle English texts and earlier, it was used to denote both speed and eagerness.