Post Haste 🏇
Definition: With great speed or urgency; immediately. Often written as “posthaste.”
Related and Similar Terms:
- Swiftly
- Quickly
- ASAP
- On the double
- In a jiffy
- Pronto
Proverbs and Common Phrases:
- Make hay while the sun shines 🌞
- Strike while the iron is hot 🔨
- Time and tide wait for no man ⏳
- The early bird catches the worm 🐦
Humorous Quote: “Nothing in the world is ever really post haste, except maybe a pizza sliding off a hot oven!” — Anon
** Shakespearean Reference:** Shakespeare employed “post haste” in several plays, demonstrating its longstanding relevance.
Literary Note: The term first appeared in Hall’s Chronicles around 1548, indicating urgency in messages and travel:
“The Duke of Somerset, with John, erle of Oxenford, wer in all post haste flying toward Scotlande.”
Inspirational Farewell: “May your journeys always be swift, your letters timely, and your haste never wasted.”
### What is the origin of "post haste"?
- [ ] A 1980s pop song reference
- [ ] A postal service marketing slogan
- [x] Sixteenth-century England with messengers
- [ ] A scientific term for instant travel
> **Explanation:** The phrase originated in sixteenth-century England where postal messengers would cry "Post haste!" indicating they needed the fastest available horses.
### Who is known for using the term "post haste" in literature?
- [x] Shakespeare
- [ ] Mark Twain
- [ ] Jane Austen
- [ ] Charles Dickens
> **Explanation:** Shakespeare used "post haste" in numerous plays, highlighting its literary depth and the speed expected in delivering messages.
### True or False: "Post haste" and "ASAP" mean the same thing.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** Both terms convey urgency and speed in completing a task or delivering something rapidly.
### What is a more modern equivalent of "post haste"?
- [ ] Slowly but surely
- [ ] In due course
- [x] ASAP
- [ ] No rush
> **Explanation:** "ASAP" (As Soon As Possible) is the modern term that connotes a similar urgency as "post haste."
### Which of these proverbs does *not* relate to urgency?
- [ ] Make hay while the sun shines
- [ ] Strike while the iron is hot
- [x] Slow and steady wins the race
- [ ] The early bird catches the worm
> **Explanation:** "Slow and steady wins the race" emphasizes perseverance rather than urgency, unlike the others.
