quick

(kwĭk)

adj. quick·er, quick·est

1. Moving or functioning rapidly and energetically; speedy: an animal that is quick enough to escape most predators.

2. Learning, thinking, or understanding with speed and dexterity; bright: a quick mind.

a. Perceiving or responding with speed and sensitivity; keen: quick reflexes.

b. Reacting immediately and sharply: a quick temper.

a. Occurring, achieved, or acquired in a relatively brief period of time: a quick rise through the ranks; a quick profit.

b. Done or occurring immediately: a quick inspection. See Synonyms at fast¹.

5. Tending to react hastily: quick to find fault.

6. Archaic

a. Alive.

b. Pregnant.

1. Sensitive or raw exposed flesh, as under the fingernails.

2. The most personal and sensitive aspect of the emotions: The remark cut her to the quick.

3. The living: the quick and the dead.

4. The vital core; the essence: got to the quick of the matter.

adv. quicker, quickest

Quickly; promptly.

[Middle English, alive, lively, quick, from Old English cwicu, alive; see g^wei- in Indo-European roots.]

quick′ly adv.

quick′ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adv.

quicker - more quickly

faster

Translations

поскорее

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

There was Robert's reproach making itself felt by a quicker, fiercer, more overpowering love, which had awakened within her toward him.

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As we looked full at one another, I felt my breath come quicker in my strong desire to get something out of him.

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So she made a fire on her hearth, and that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw.

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The first day, the blood liquefies in forty-seven minutes--the church is crammed, then, and time must be allowed the collectors to get around: after that it liquefies a little quicker and a little quicker, every day, as the houses grow smaller, till on the eighth day, with only a few dozens present to see the miracle, it liquefies in four minutes.

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"We have no ballast on board; and indeed it seems to me that if lightened it would go much quicker."

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It couldn't be till doomsday, you know, when the angel Gabriel blows his trumpet, unless it should come quicker than we think it will--oh, of course, I know the Bible says it may come quicker than we think, but I don't think it will--that is, of course I believe the Bible; but I mean I don't think it will come as much quicker as it would if it should come now, and--"

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Maximilian rushed up the little staircase, while Noirtier's eyes seemed to say, -- "Quicker, quicker!"

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She kept putting her head out of the window and calling to the cabby to go quicker, quicker.

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On they went quicker and quicker into the next street; and the person who drove turned round to Kay, and nodded to him in a friendly manner, just as if they knew each other.

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"But the murderer had been even quicker than I had been.

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Suddenly there was a quicker movement of seemingly one whole section of the mountain.

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"Well," he said, "I thought I was pretty quick, and our John quicker still, but you do beat all I ever saw for being quick and thorough at the same time."

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