Definition:
a slow start
Usage:
Leaving the house after numerous delays "And we're off like a herd of turtles"
Explanation:
The phrase belongs to a particular breed of imaginative sarcasm, deriving, I think, from an inclination to stay as polite as possible. The accompanying visual is rather charming, if you think about it.
Trivia:
The "herd of turtles" phenomenon is most commonl in the Wilmington/Cape Fear area of North Carolina.
