From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishquickenquick‧en /ˈkwɪkən/ verb [intransitive, transitive] 1 FAST/QUICK written to become quicker or make something quicker Ray glanced at his watch and quickened his pace (=began to walk faster). Companies are finding it hard to cope with the quickening pace of technological change.your heart/pulse/breathing quickens (=your heart beats faster because you are afraid, excited etc) She caught sight of Rob and felt her heart quicken.2 formalMORE THAN BEFORE if a feeling quickens, or if something quickens it, it becomes stronger or more active SYN increase This policy served only to quicken anti-government feeling.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
quicken• It is not just the pace of testing that is quickening.• She found she was sweating and her breathing had quickened.• Suddenly his heart beat faster and he quickened his pace, in the grip of dreadful panic.• He quickened his pace to try and intercept her but the crowds on the pavement and the traffic on the street intervened.• Interest in the idea has quickened recently.quickened ... pace• I chirruped to the horse, and he quickened his pace.• I quickened my pace and by the time I reached the top of Paton's Lane I was running.• He quickened his pace as he reached the double flight of steps which led to the walkway.• Feeling even more guilty, and appalled at her own behaviour, she quickened her pace, desperate to escape.• Then teammate Joel Zide of Northridge quickened the pace to reach the five-fish plateau first.• He quickened his pace to try and intercept her but the crowds on the pavement and the traffic on the street intervened.• All thoughts of tiredness had now gone as I prepared myself for breakfast and quickened my pace towards the barn.• Magee quickened his pace, walking up the centre of the wide road, passing restaurants on either side. 