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quick Definition

quick (kwik)

adjective

  1. Archaic living; alive
    1. rapid; swift a quick walk
    2. done with promptness; prompt a quick reply
    3. acting swiftly a quick worker
  3. lasting only a moment a quick look
  4. prompt to understand or learn a quick mind
  5. sensitive; acutely perceptive a quick sense of smell
  6. easily stirred; fiery a quick temper
  7. sharply curved a quick turn
  8. Archaic pregnant

Etymology: ME quik, lively, alive < OE cwicu, living: see bio-

adverb

quickly; rapidly

noun

  1. the living, esp. in the quick and the dead
  2. the sensitive flesh under a toenail or fingernail
  3. the deepest feelings or sensibilities cut to the quick by the insult

transitive verb

Archaic to animate; invigorate

quick Related Forms
quick′ly adverb quick′·ness noun
quick Synonyms

quick

modif.

  1. Rapid

    fast, swift, expeditious, fleet; see agile, fast 1.

  2. Almost immediate

    posthaste, prompt, instantaneous; see immediate 1.

  3. Hasty

    impetuous, mercurial, quick-tempered; see rash.

  4. Alert

    ready, prompt, apt, sharp, keen, clever, smart, agile, nimble, lively, responsive, on the ball*; see also active 2, clever 1. See syn. study at agile, fast.

quick, in this comparison, implies ability to respond rapidly as an innate rather than a developed faculty a quick mind; prompt stresses immediate response to a demand as resulting from discipline, practice, etc. or from willingness prompt to obey, a prompt acceptance; ready also implies preparation or willingness and, in another sense, connotes fluency, expertness, etc. a ready sympathy, ready wit; apt, in this connection, implies superior intelligence or a special talent as the reason for quickness of response an apt pupil

quick Usage Examples

Preposition: on

  • uptake: Quick on the uptake, he transferred the tube quest to Hamburg ( adapting the rules slightly in the process ).

Modifies a noun

  • succession: Jones was then forced to make three crucial saves in quick succession.
  • fix: She said, " There are no quick fixes.
  • glance: Quick glance: This gives you an overall view of the key points to the credit card.
  • buck: Despite the massive advertising campaigns of ruthless businesspeople preying on the vulnerabilities of bald people to make a quick buck.
  • guide: A quick reference guide to the theory of music is also included.
  • overview: Is there anyone out there who can give a quick overview of the style used in those files?

Modifying Another Word

  • pretty: Your right hand is pretty quick acting stuff there?
  • relatively: It is also relatively quick, taking about 20 minutes at most.

Preposition: off

  • mark: My initial comment was a little quick off the mark I'm afraid!

Infinitive complement

  • respond: It's very quick to respond and makes tuning a breeze.
  • dismiss: He was quick to dismiss these as ridiculous rumors.
  • complain: Just thought I would mention that as everyone is quick to complain these day's, but seldom do people pass on positive comments.
  • blame: However, you are very quick to blame others for things you do not like.
  • realize: Industry was quick to realize the benefits of gas lighting and also found other applications where heat was needed.

Used with adjective complement

  • react: Smaller businesses react quicker to change and offer employees wider scope.
  • recover: So even at this point, although you may recover quicker than me, relaxation is important.
  • disappear: Answer: Sometimes you will find feed disappearing quicker than you might expect for the number of birds feeding on it.
  • come: Chasing a fish tail first with a slow boat was never too successful and head on, the point of meeting came quicker.
quick Quotes

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell;The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost;The holy Catholick Church;The Communion of Saints;The Forgiveness of sins;The Resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.

—Book of Common Prayer

For [the] quick in wit and light in manners be either seldom troubled or very soon weary, in carrying a very heavy purse.

—Ascham, Roger

It doth repent me: words are quick and vain: Grief for a while is blind, and so was mine. I wish no living thing to suffer pain.

—Shelley, Percy Bysshe