quick Definition
quick (kwik)
adjective
- Archaic living; alive
- rapid; swift a quick walk
- done with promptness; prompt a quick reply
- acting swiftly a quick worker
- lasting only a moment a quick look
- prompt to understand or learn a quick mind
- sensitive; acutely perceptive a quick sense of smell
- easily stirred; fiery a quick temper
- sharply curved a quick turn
- Archaic pregnant
Etymology: ME quik, lively, alive < OE cwicu, living: see bio-
adverb
quickly; rapidly
noun
- the living, esp. in the quick and the dead
- the sensitive flesh under a toenail or fingernail
- the deepest feelings or sensibilities cut to the quick by the insult
transitive verb
Archaic to animate; invigorate
quick Related Forms
quick Synonyms
quick
modif.
Rapid
Almost immediate
posthaste, prompt, instantaneous; see immediate 1.Hasty
impetuous, mercurial, quick-tempered; see rash.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.
Browse dictionary entries near quick
- ‹ quiche Lorraine
- ‹ quiche
- ‹ quibbling
- ‹ quibble
- ‹ quia timet
- ‹ qui vive?
- ‹ qui tam
- ‹ Quezon City
- ‹ Quezon
- ‹ quezal
- quick assets ›
- quick bread ›
- quick clay ›
- quick-fire ›
- quick fix ›
- quick-freeze ›
- quick grass ›
- quick ratio ›
- quick-tempered ›
- quick time ›

