(~s)
1.
A ~ is a small animal with a long, soft body, no legs, and a spiral-shaped shell. Snails move very slowly.
N-COUNT
2.
If you say that someone does something at a ~’s pace, you are emphasizing that they are doing it very slowly, usually when you think it would be better if they did it much more quickly.
The train was moving now at a ~’s pace...
PHRASE: PHR after v emphasis