Cool MateHold your horses vs Slow down
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Hold your horses
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Slow down
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: Slow downMost common: Slow down
| Hold your horses | Slow down | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //həʊld jɔː hɔːsɪz//🇺🇸 //hoʊld jʊr ˈhɔrsɪz// | 🇬🇧 //sləʊ daʊn//🇺🇸 //sloʊ daʊn// |
| Meaning | Wait a moment or be patient. | To reduce speed or to take things easier. |
| Example | Before you rush into the meeting, please hold your horses and think it through. | Please slow down when driving through the school zone. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | hold your horses, hold on, slow down, wait a minute, hold tight | slow down a bit, slow down traffic, slow down the pace, slow down for safety |
| Common mistakes | Used in formal situations where a more polite request is needed., Misinterpreted literally, forgetting its idiomatic meaning., Not used when a stern command is appropriate. | Using 'slow down' in a literal sense only, ignoring its figurative uses., Confusing with 'slowly' which is an adverb., Incorrectly using 'slow down' without an object when it's needed for clarity. |
| Usage notes | Used informally to ask someone to slow down or stop being impatient. It's suitable in casual conversations but not in formal settings. | Use 'slow down' when advising someone to reduce their pace. Can be informal in day-to-day conversation, but is still suitable in general contexts. Avoid using it in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Hold your horses vs Slow down
What's the difference between Hold your horses and Slow down?
Hold your horses: Wait a moment or be patient. Slow down: To reduce speed or to take things easier.
Which is more formal: Hold your horses and Slow down?
Slow down is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Hold your horses and Slow down?
Slow down is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Hold your horses: Before you rush into the meeting, please hold your horses and think it through. Slow down: Please slow down when driving through the school zone.
Can I use Hold your horses and Slow down interchangeably?
Not always. Hold your horses and Slow down are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.