A watched pot never boils

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Meaning

Waiting anxiously for something slows its seeming progress.

Origin

From 18th-century Britain, tied to kitchen lore; watching water feels eternal, proverb by 1783 in Franklin's letters. A 1848 Brontë novel uses it for a stalled lover.

Variants

  • Watched pot
  • Pot never boils

Usage Examples

  • A watched pot never boils; stop checking the mail!
  • She learned a watched pot never boils waiting for news.
  • A watched pot never boils-relax, it'll ring soon.

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