Rome was not built in a day

A form of Rome wasn't built in a day — It takes a long time to create something complicated or impressive.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. alternativeAlternative form of Rome wasn't built in a day.

    Rome was not built in one day (quoth he), and yet stood / Till it was finisht, as some say, full fayre.

    1546, John Heywood, chapter XI, in Julian Sharman, editor, The Proverbs of John Heywood. […], London: George Bell and Sons, […], published 1874, →OCLC, part I, pages 64–65
    5 more examples

    [O]ne daye or lytle tyme is not ynoughe for the acheuinge of a great matter. Which is al one with this in engliſhe: Rome was not buylt in one day.

    1545 August 20 (Gregorian calendar), Erasmus, “Vna hirundo non facit ver [One swallow does not make it spring]”, in Richard Taverner, transl., Proverbes or Adagies Gathered out of the Chiliades of Erasmus […], new edition, London: Edwardus Whytchurche […]; to be sel […] by Wyllyam Telotson, →OCLC, folio xxv, verso

    The Reformation you haue made of the many and maine corruptions of the Romiſh Ch[urch] vve do ingenuouſly acknovvledge, and doe vvithall imbrace vvith you all the truths vvhich to our knovvledge you haue receiued in ſtead of them. But Rome vvas not built all in a day.

    1610, Jos[eph] Hall, “Section XXV. What Separation England hath Made.”, in A Common Apologie of the Church of England: Against the Uniust Challenges of the Ouer-iust Sect, Commonly Called Brownists. […], London: […] [William Stansby] for Samuel Macham, […], →OCLC, marginal note, page 63

    […] Rome vvas not built in a day, nor is a Reformation in the true Lavv-ſenſe effectable preſently; […]

    1663, Edward Waterhous[e], chapter XXIX, in Fortescutus Illustratus; or A Commentary on that Nervous Treatise De Laudibus Legum Angliæ, Written by Sir John Fortescue Knight, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Roycroft for Thomas Dicas […], →OCLC, page 375

    [Y]ou muſt lay your account vvith mounting by gradual ſteps to the ſummit of your fortune.—Rome vvas not built in a day,— […]

    1748, [Tobias Smollett], “I Cultivate an Acquaintance with Two Noblemen […]”, in The Adventures of Roderick Random. […], volume II, London: […] [William Strahan] for J[ohn] Osborn […], →OCLC, page 173

    [T]hou must have patience. Rome was not built in a day—you cannot become used to your court-suit in a month's time, any more than when you changed your long coat for a doublet and hose; […]

    1822 May 29, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Fortunes of Nigel. […], volume II (in English), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 237–238
Cite this entry
APA

Rome was not built in a day. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rome%20was%20not%20built%20in%20a%20day

MLA

“Rome was not built in a day.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rome%20was%20not%20built%20in%20a%20day. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Rome was not built in a day,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Rome%20was%20not%20built%20in%20a%20day.

Source: Rome was not built in a day on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.