ENGLISH
REFERENCE

haste

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈheɪst// UK //hˈeɪst// haste Archaic

n. the act of moving or acting very quickly, often because you are in a hurry. You use this word when speed is the most important thing.

n. excessive speed or urgency of movement or action; rapidity of motion. Often carries a connotation of recklessness or a lack of deliberation.


SIMPLE

In his haste to leave, he forgot his keys on the table.

CONTEXTUAL

The report was written in great haste and contained several avoidable spelling mistakes.

COMPLEX

The legislation was pushed through with unseemly haste, leaving little time for the opposition to scrutinize the potential long-term consequences of the new tax laws.

Synonyms
Origin

Blend of Middle English hasten (verb), (compare Dutch haasten, German hasten, Danish haste, Swedish hasta (“to hasten, rush”)) and Middle English hast (“haste”, noun), from Old French haste (whence French hâte), from Old Frankish hai(f)st (“violence”), from Proto-Germanic haifstiz (“struggle, conflict”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeyp- (“to ridicule, mock, anger”). Akin to Old Frisian hāst, hāste (“haste”), Old English hǣst (“violence”), Old English hǣste (“violent, impetuous, vehement”, adjective), Old Norse heift /heipt (“feud”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃𐍄𐍃 (haifsts, “rivalry”). Cognate with German heftig (“vehement”) and Danish heftig (“vehement”).

Usage

Commonly used in the fixed expression 'in haste' or the proverb 'haste makes waste'.

Pitfall

he did it with hastehe did it in hasteWhile 'with haste' is grammatically possible, the idiomatic preposition for this noun in most contexts is 'in'.

Idioms1 entry

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