tortoise and hare
Slow beats fast
The tortoise and the hare are the central figures in one of Aesop's fables, where a slow tortoise defeats a fast but overconfident hare in a race.
The phrase invokes their contrast—steady persistence versus flashy speed that burns out: It's a tortoise and hare situation; they sprinted ahead but we'll catch up.
Someone may be called a tortoise or a hare to suggest their approach to work or competition.
- raceCompetition of speed
- fableMoral tale with animals
- AesopAncient Greek fable writer
- animal fableMoral story with talking creatures
- children's storySimple narrative for youth
classic tale · slow · fast · steady · patience · speed · head start · shell · ears · finish line · victory lap · persistence · underdog · nap · sleep · overconfidence · plodding · sprinting
- cautionary talesIcarus, Prometheus, Faust, Dr. Faustus, Pandora
- moral talesfable, parable, moral stories, allegory, moral fables
- myths & legendsmyth, legend, fable, fairy tale, folk tale
- animal fablesfable, fables, beast fables, beast fable, animal fable
- fablesfable, Aesop, Aesop's fables, Aesop fables, the boy who cried wolf
- fable illustrationsAesop's fables, animal art, moral tales, beast fables, talking animals
tortoise and harelevel playing field
Equal competitive conditions
neck and neck · toss-up · dead heat · heavyweight bout · equal footing
tortoise and harematched pair
Two corresponding items together
two peas in a pod · equals · peers · counterparts · mirror images