proverb · Words worth keeping
Happy is the wooing, That is not long a-doing.
Happy is the wooing, That is not long a-doing.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying praises a courtship that reaches agreement quickly. A careful reading questions whether speed actually serves the people involved.
What the words are saying
Happy wooing is linked with a short duration, suggesting relief from delay or uncertainty. It does not prove that a quick commitment is wiser or that a longer courtship is unhappy. A useful interpretation considers whether the participants know enough, can choose freely and have time to discuss expectations. No one owes a rapid answer simply because another person wants the process finished.
Everyday example
Someone allows a prospective partner time to consider a commitment instead of treating hesitation as a failure of affection.
When to use it
Use it to discuss timing in courtship without making speed an obligation.
What it does not mean
Consent and understanding matter more than a short timetable.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1829 · Wooing
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English