slow on the draw

slow on the draw

1. Lit. slow in drawing a gun. (Cowboy and gangster talk.) •

Bill got shot because he's so slow on the draw.

•

The gunslinger said, “I have to be fast. If I'm slow on the draw, I'm dead.”

2. and slow on the uptake Fig. slow to figure something out; slow-thinking. •

Sally didn't get the joke because she's sort of slow on the draw.

•

Bill—who's slow on the uptake—didn't get the joke until it was explained to him.

* * *

{adj. phr.} Not very smart; having difficulty figuring things out. * /Poor Eric doesn't get very good grades in physics; when it comes to problem-solving, he is rather slow on the draw./