quick
(kwĭk)
[Middle English, alive, lively, quick, from Old English cwicu, alive.]
adjective: quick·er, quick·est.
- Moving or functioning rapidly and energetically; speedy.
- Learning, thinking, or understanding with speed and dexterity; bright: a quick mind.
- Perceiving or responding with speed and sensitivity; keen.
- Reacting immediately and sharply: a quick temper.
- Occurring, achieved, or acquired in a relatively brief period of time: a quick rise through the ranks; a quick profit.
- Done or occurring immediately: a quick inspection. See synonyms at fast1
- Tending to react hastily: quick to find fault.
- Archaic
- Alive.
- Pregnant.
noun
- Sensitive or raw exposed flesh, as under the fingernails.
- The most personal and sensitive aspect of the emotions.
- The living: the quick and the dead.
- The vital core; the essence: got to the quick of the matter.
adverb: quicker, quickest.
- Quickly; promptly.
derivatives
- quicḱly
- adverb
- quicḱness
- noun
usage note
Usage Note: In speech quick is commonly used as an adverb in phrases such as Come quick. In formal writing, however, quickly is required.
