quick en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós Proto-Germanic *kwikwaz Proto-West Germanic *kwiku Old English cwic Middle English quyk English quick From Middle English quik, quic (“living, alive, active”), from Old English cwic (“alive”), from Proto-West Germanic *kwiku (“alive, lively quick”), from Proto-Germanic *kwikwaz (“alive, lively, quick”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (“alive”), from *gʷeyh₃- (“to live”), *gʷeyh₃w- (“to live”). For semantic development, compare lively. Cognate with Dutch kwik, kwiek (“lively, quick”), German keck (“sassy, cheeky”), Danish kvik (“lively, quick-witted, quick”), kvæg (“cattle”), Faroese kvikur (“quick”), Icelandic kvikur (“lively, quick”), Norn kvikk, hwikk (“living, swarming, teeming”), Norwegian kvikk (“quick, lively, quick-witted”), Swedish kvick (“quick, witty”), and also (from Indo-European) with Greek βίος (víos, “life”), Latin vivus (“alive”), Lithuanian gývas (“alive”), Latvian dzīvs (“alive”), Russian живо́й (živój, “alive, lively, quick”), Polish żywy (“alive”), Welsh byw (“alive”), Irish beo (“alive”), biathaigh (“to feed”), Northern Kurdish jîn (“to live”), jiyan (“life”), giyan (“soul”), can (“soul”), Sanskrit जीव (jīva, “alive”), Albanian nxit (“to urge, stimulate”). Doublet of jiva.
Meanings
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Moving with speed, rapidity or swiftness, or capable of doing so; rapid; fast.
I ran to the station – but I wasn't quick enough.
The quickest and nimblest were probably the oxycones, throwing themselves through the water like discuses.
2017, Danna Staaf, Squid Empire, ForeEdge, →ISBN, page 87:He's a quick runner.
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Occurring in a short time; happening or done rapidly.
The importance of Nowruz is reflected in an elaborate sabzi polo, the herbed rice capped with a crunchy tahdig, the crust formed from lettuce, rice mixed with yogurt or lavash or another thin flatbread. On Wednesday night, I opted for sheveed polo, a simpler and quicker dill rice, but I can’t wait to nail that crunchy tahdig tonight.
2026 March 15, Genevieve Ko, “‘This Is the Best Dish I Have Ever Made From NYT Cooking’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 15 Mar 2026:That was a quick meal.
Veronica Ripley, 32, often speaks to friends about the role that video games played in her trans awakening: “I would try to explain it away, saying that I was playing the girl character because she had a smaller hitbox or quicker kill animations,” she said, referring to in-game advantages.
2023 December 27, Zachary Small, “Video Games Let Them Choose a Role. Their Transgender Identities Flourished.”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2024:
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Lively, fast-thinking, witty, intelligent.
You have to be very quick to be able to compete in ad-lib theatrics.
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Mentally agile, alert, perceptive.
My father is old but he still has a quick wit.
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(of people or tempers) Easily aroused to anger; quick-tempered.
She has a very quick temper.
The bishop was somewhat quick with them, and signified that he was much offended.
1549, Hugh Latimer, The Sixth Sermon Preached Before King Edward, April 6 1549:He is wont to be rather quick of temper when tired.
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(archaic) Alive, living.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who ſhall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdome:
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Timothy 4:1, column 2:The inmost oratory of my soul, Wherein thou ever dwellest quick or dead, Is black with grief eternal for thy sake.
1874, James Thomson, The City of Dreadful Night, section X:Man is no star, but a quick coal / Of mortal fire.
1633, George Herbert, The Temple:
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(archaic, of a foetus) At the stage where it can be felt to move in the uterus.
Whoever does any act under such circumstances that if he thereby caused death he would be guilty of culpable homicide, and does by such act cause the death of a quick unborn child, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 316, Penal Code (Cap. 224, 2008 Ed.) (Singapore)
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(archaic) Pregnant, especially at the stage where the foetus's movements can be felt; figuratively, alive with some emotion or feeling.
Invention sleeps within a skull No longer quick with light, The hive that hummed in every cell Is now sealed honey-tight.
1941, Theodore Roethke, “Death Piece”, in Open House, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC; republished in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, London: Faber and Faber […], 1968, →OCLC, page 4:When sentenced she sought to avoid hanging by declaring herself with child – ironically, given her favourite deception – but a ‘jury of Matrons’ found her not quick.
2012, Jerry White, London in the Eighteenth Century, Bodley Head, published 2017, page 385:she's quick; the child brags in her belly already: tis yours
c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
- (archaic, of water) Flowing, not stagnant.
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(archaic) Burning, flammable, fiery.
And it seemed to me that the dream smote the roof above my bed, and the roof opened and disclosed the outer dark, and in the dark travelled a bearded star, and the night was quick with fiery signs.
1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 18:
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(obsolete) Fresh; bracing; sharp; keen.
[…] the ayre is quicke there, / And it perces and ſharpens the ſtomacke,
c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
- (of a vein of ore) productive; not "dead" or barren
- (qualifier:crosswording) Not cryptic.
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Being a distinctively sensitive kind of glaciomarine clay that may behave like a watery fluid under stress.
Note that quick clay is a subet of brittle material; all quick clay is brittle, but not all brittle clay is quick.) Glaciomarine clay turns into quick clay after extensive pore water leaching by ground- and rainwater.
2022, Anna Bondo Medhus, Lone Klinkby, Engineering Geophysics, page 227:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| kwik | alternative, pronunciation-spelling | lexicographic | |
| quickest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more quick | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most quick | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| quicker | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
dead (antonym(s) of “alive”) · slow (antonym(s) of “moving with speed”)
Deriveds
quickshifter · quick off the mark · quick fix · quick-firer · quick time · quick brown fox · quick as a fox · quick link · bisquick · kiss-me-quick · quick on one's feet · quick water · quick-setting · quick pitch · Tennessee quick step · quick read · quickle · quick bread · quick-thinking · quick-witted · quickdraw · quick on the uptake · quickstep · real quick · quicksave · quick as thought · quickshot · quick release skewer · quick as lightning · quick-drying · quick vinegar · quicksmart · quick-sighted · a quick drop and a sudden stop · quickscope · quick study · quick-freeze · quickly · quick time event · quick as winking · in quick sticks · quicksome · quick kick · quickborn · quick lime · quicky · superquick · quick response team · quick match · quick consumption · quicksort · ultraquick · quickhatch · quickish · quick-wittedly · quick access recorder · quickload · overquick · quick-wittedness · quickwater · quick-handedness · quick-draw · quick as a flash · quick-fire · the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog · quick-frozen · quick-hearted · quickie · double-quick · quick light · quickstart · quicklike · quickplay · quick and dirty · olive quick decline syndrome · make quick work of · quick-froze · quickshaw · quick-like · quick on the draw · quicksilver · quick bankruptcy · in quick succession · quick-and-dirty · quick-handed · quickwork · quick on his feet · quick shifter · quick as a wink · get-rich-quick · quick smart · quick-write · quicken · quick ratio · quick fuck · squid · quick-tongued · quickness · quicksand · quickselect · lightning-quick · quick draw · kill-me-quick · quick buck · quicklime · quickbeam · unquick · quicksighted · quick-change artist
Synonyms
gravid · bright (fast-thinking) · swift · hotheaded (easily aroused to anger) · short-tempered (easily aroused to anger) · snippish (easily aroused to anger) · short-lived · with child · rapid · extant (alive, living) · keen · speedy · ready · fluent · fluminous · droll · intelligent · snippy (easily aroused to anger) · rattish (easily aroused to anger) · fast (moving with speed) · brief (occurring in a short time) · vital · expecting (pregnant) · live · running (flowing) · momentary
Translations (316)
fi kova (moving with speed) · ur سریع (moving with speed) · ka საზრიანი (mentally agile, perceptive) · hu hirtelen (easily aroused to anger) · lv ātrs (moving with speed) · ko 빠른 (moving with speed) · uk би́стрий (moving with speed) · izh selvä (moving with speed) · gl lixeiro (lively, witty) · ug ئىلدام (moving with speed) · hu gyors (occurring in a short time) · bg бърз (moving with speed) · gl vivo (lively, witty) · pt ligeiro (occurring in a short time) · ia rapide (occurring in a short time) · mn хурдан (moving with speed) · no rask (occurring in a short time) · ru прово́рный (lively, witty) · no kvikk (moving with speed) · ga mear (lively, witty) · bn শীঘ্র (moving with speed) · ga sciobtha (moving with speed) · izh huima (moving with speed) · fi elävä (alive) · fi äksy (easily aroused to anger) · cmn 迅速 (moving with speed) · tr çabuk (moving with speed) · ur عجول (moving with speed) · fi virtaava (flowing) · da frisk og rask (alive) · hu eleven (alive) · bg бърз (occurring in a short time) · yi גיך (moving with speed) · fr rapide (moving with speed) · izh kiire (moving with speed) · ur تند (moving with speed) · fi herkästi syttyvä (burning, fiery) · pl szybki (moving with speed) · mi pekepeke (moving with speed) · uk хутки́й (moving with speed) · sv snabb (moving with speed) · pdt schwind (moving with speed) · de rasch (moving with speed) · ro vioi (lively, witty) · ga pras (occurring in a short time) · th ไว (moving with speed) · fi nopeaälyinen (mentally agile, perceptive) · uk швидки́й (occurring in a short time) · ko 빠르다 (mentally agile, perceptive) · wa abeye (occurring in a short time) · da rap (lively, witty) · be ху́ткі (moving with speed) · mk брз (moving with speed) · sh брз (moving with speed) · da kvik (mentally agile, perceptive) · fi sukkela (lively, witty) · ar جَارٍ (pregnant) · ko 빠르다 (occurring in a short time) · pt rápido (mentally agile, perceptive) · mk брз (occurring in a short time) · lo ໄວ (moving with speed) · sa आशु (moving with speed) · wa subtil (moving with speed) · sq ngjarë (occurring in a short time) · fi äkäinen (easily aroused to anger) · it svelto (lively, witty) · is fljótur (moving with speed) · ru сообразительный (mentally agile, perceptive) · yue 快手 (moving with speed) · gl roudo (moving with speed) · lb séier (moving with speed) · pl bystry (moving with speed) · wa rade (moving with speed) · pt veloz (moving with speed) · pdt flinkj (moving with speed) · sq ngare (gheg) (occurring in a short time) · fi pikainen (occurring in a short time) · fi lyhytaikainen (occurring in a short time) · et nobe (moving with speed) · ro repede (occurring in a short time) · nl kwiek (lively, witty) · alt ылтам (moving with speed) · it rapido (moving with speed) · cmn 快 (moving with speed) · as খৰ (moving with speed) · az tez (moving with speed) · ltg dreiži (moving with speed) · ug ئۇچقۇر (moving with speed) · ro aprig (pregnant) · is kvikur (moving with speed) · es célere (moving with speed) · sv rapp (mentally agile, perceptive) · tyv дүрген (moving with speed) · ar سَرِيع (moving with speed) · pl prędki (moving with speed) · gl andarengo (lively, witty) · el γρήγορος (moving with speed) · az cəld (moving with speed) · hu lobbanékony (easily aroused to anger) · ro vioi (alive) · it agile (mentally agile, perceptive) · sh brz (moving with speed) · wa sûti (mentally agile, perceptive) · sq shpjertë (moving with speed) · hu eszes (lively, witty) · gl vivo (mentally agile, perceptive) · be бы́стры (moving with speed) · sv ilsken (easily aroused to anger) · wa abeye (moving with speed) · uk ско́рий (occurring in a short time) · fi terävä (mentally agile, perceptive) · sv ilsk (easily aroused to anger) · mk би́стар (mentally agile, perceptive) · sq nxituar (easily aroused to anger) · fi nopeaälyinen (lively, witty) · it svelto (moving with speed) · cy cyflym (moving with speed) · yi שנעל (moving with speed) · ka ალღოიანი (mentally agile, perceptive) · ru ско́рый (occurring in a short time) · da kvik (moving with speed) · ro vioaie (lively, witty) · fa چابک (moving with speed) · ro rapid (moving with speed) · it veloce (occurring in a short time) · sv rapp (moving with speed) · mi kama (moving with speed) · gl roudo (lively, witty) · fr vivant (alive) · uk швидки́й (moving with speed) · da rask (occurring in a short time) · pox astĕ (moving with speed) · de quicklebendig (alive) · ru вспы́льчивый (easily aroused to anger) · lv ašs (moving with speed) · fi vikkelä (moving with speed) · sv hastig (occurring in a short time) · gd grad (lively, witty) · ga mear (moving with speed) · nl rap (moving with speed) · lv žigls (moving with speed) · lv straujš (moving with speed) · fi nokkela (lively, witty) · pt ligeiro (moving with speed) · wa adjete (moving with speed) · hu gyors (moving with speed) · lv knašs (moving with speed) · mi kerakera (moving with speed) · fi nopsa (moving with speed) · pl błyskawiczny (moving with speed) · ckb گورج (moving with speed) · nl snel (occurring in a short time) · mi horo (moving with speed) · mi tere (moving with speed) · sv snabb (occurring in a short time) · ka მარდი (moving with speed) · ru бы́стрый (moving with speed) · no frisk og rask (alive) · ro rapid (occurring in a short time) · mk жив (alive) · mk би́стар (lively, witty) · de schnell von Begriff (mentally agile, perceptive) · pdt flott (nds) (moving with speed) · cs rychlý (moving with speed) · he זריז (moving with speed) · ur تیز (moving with speed) · sv kvick (moving with speed) · ur جلد (moving with speed) · la celer (moving with speed) · vi nhanh (moving with speed) · ru доходчивый (mentally agile, perceptive) · mk остро́умен (mentally agile, perceptive) · sv kvick (mentally agile, perceptive) · ka ცქვიტი (moving with speed) · nl rap (occurring in a short time) · sv kvick (occurring in a short time) · gl roudo (mentally agile, perceptive) · gl vertixinoso (occurring in a short time) · ru живо́й (alive) · pt ligeiro (lively, witty) · sv rapp (lively, witty) · yue 快 (moving with speed) · eo rapida (moving with speed) · izh huimakas (moving with speed) · my မြန် (moving with speed) · ko 빠르다 (moving with speed) · ru темпераментный (easily aroused to anger) · fi äkkivihainen (easily aroused to anger) · ro înfocat (burning, fiery) · gl lampeiro (mentally agile, perceptive) · fi joutuisa (moving with speed) · ja 早い (occurring in a short time) · mi pakē (moving with speed) · chg ایلدام (moving with speed) · ro iute (lively, witty) · it veloce (moving with speed) · chg توزکان (moving with speed) · pl chyży (moving with speed) · fi äkkipikainen (easily aroused to anger) · da kvik (occurring in a short time) · ka მიხვედრილი (mentally agile, perceptive) · ro repede (moving with speed) · arz سريع (moving with speed) · izh sukkela (moving with speed) · ga luath (moving with speed) · pt célere (moving with speed) · ru смышленый (mentally agile, perceptive) · gl rápido (occurring in a short time) · gl lampeiro (moving with speed) · pt rápido (occurring in a short time) · bg находчив (mentally agile, perceptive) · jv gelis (moving with speed) · no kvikk (occurring in a short time) · km លឿន (moving with speed) · ltg mudri (moving with speed) · fi juokseva (flowing) · bg съобразителен (lively, witty) · it lesto (lively, witty) · ro sprinten (lively, witty) · de schnell (moving with speed) · sa ऋज्र (moving with speed) · nl haastig (occurring in a short time) · nl vlug (occurring in a short time) · hu élénk (lively, witty) · ar حَيٌّ (alive) · grc ταχύς (moving with speed) · de scharfsinnig (lively, witty) · ro învăpăiat (burning, fiery) · da hurtig (moving with speed) · wa fel (moving with speed) · no kvikk (lively, witty) · mk жив (lively, witty) · sa रघु (moving with speed) · sv kvick (burning, fiery) · uz tez (moving with speed) · sv lättretlig (easily aroused to anger) · ur عاجل (moving with speed) · tr hızlı (moving with speed) · es célere (occurring in a short time) · ga tráthúil (lively, witty) · yue 快脆 (occurring in a short time) · ug تېز (moving with speed) · fr animé (alive) · lo ປຽວ (moving with speed) · km ឆាប់ (moving with speed) · ar سَرِيعٌ (occurring in a short time) · pt rápido (moving with speed) · es rápido (moving with speed) · nl snel (moving with speed) · mk до́сетлив (mentally agile, perceptive) · fi nopea (occurring in a short time) · fi nokkela (mentally agile, perceptive) · no rask (moving with speed) · pt rápido (lively, witty) · pl ścigły (moving with speed) · ja 速い (moving with speed) · fi terävä (lively, witty) · hi शीघ्र (moving with speed) · pt ligeiro (mentally agile, perceptive) · ka სწრაფი (moving with speed) · nl vlug (moving with speed) · ja 速い (occurring in a short time) · ro iute (moving with speed) · ro energic (alive) · gd grad (occurring in a short time) · mi pahuhu (moving with speed) · ba шәп (moving with speed) · he מהיר (moving with speed) · es rápido (occurring in a short time) · sl hiter (moving with speed) · ur چابک (moving with speed) · gl rápido (lively, witty) · fi nopea (moving with speed) · gl pasadío (occurring in a short time) · gl rápido (moving with speed) · mi korakora (moving with speed) · la rapidus (moving with speed) · sk rýchly (moving with speed) · gl lixeiro (moving with speed) · bg течащ (flowing) · ro ager (mentally agile, perceptive) · gl andarengo (moving with speed) · yi פֿלינק (moving with speed) · sa शीघ्र (moving with speed) · ka მკვირცხლი (moving with speed) · lv nasks (moving with speed) · ia rapide (moving with speed) · gl lixeiro (mentally agile, perceptive) · gl rápido (mentally agile, perceptive) · da kvik (lively, witty) · mi tūkawikawi (moving with speed) · uk прудки́й (moving with speed) · wa subtile (mentally agile, perceptive) · chg تیز (moving with speed) · sq gjall (lively, witty) · da rap (mentally agile, perceptive) · th เร็ว (moving with speed) · grc θοός (moving with speed) · gl andarengo (mentally agile, perceptive) · hu friss (mentally agile, perceptive) · fi pika- (occurring in a short time) · sq gjallë (alive) · fa فرز (moving with speed) · ro violent (pregnant) · de geschwind (moving with speed) · ltg kruši (moving with speed) · sv kvick (alive) · hy արագ (moving with speed) · la properus (moving with speed) · sv kvick (lively, witty) · no kvikk (mentally agile, perceptive) · da gravid (pregnant) · gl lampeiro (lively, witty) · sv kvick (flowing) · ba тиҙ (moving with speed) · gd grad (moving with speed)