- “The slows” refers to slowness as though it were an illness, indicating that it is detrimental to the effectiveness of the institution experiencing it or the wellbeing of the people that the institution is supposed to serve. Speaking of slowness this way does not blame any particular person in the institution, as people who are sick are generally considered the victim of the sickness; however, it does indicate that there is a problem which needs to be cured.
The slows
analogy noun
the problem of not progressing quickly
Etymology : From “slow” adjective – opposite of fast, converted to a noun with the addition of s, used with “the” in analogy to “the flu” or “the chills” or other illnesses or symptoms often expressed with “the” and an s when referring to symptoms
Source : “The agency has developed an acute case of the slows, and it could not be a more critical moment.” Tara Raghuveer quoted in NY Times on a backlog in naturalizations before the presidential election. 10/1/16
Last modified: 2 December 2016