From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishquickquick1 /kwɪk/ ●●● S1 W2 adjective (comparative quicker, superlative quickest) 1 short timeSHORT TIME lasting for or taking only a short time That was quick! I thought you’d be another hour. It’s probably quicker by train. Have we got time for a quick drink? What’s the quickest way to the station? We stopped to have a quick look at the church. Three bombs went off in quick succession (=quickly, one after the other).► see thesaurus at short2 fast moving or doing something fast She walked with short, quick steps. They were great people to work with – very quick, very efficient. Boxers have to be quick on their feet (=able to move about quickly).► see thesaurus at fast3 no delaySOON happening very soon, without any delay SYN speedy I had to make a quick decision. We’ve put the house on the market and we’re hoping for a quick sale. We need a quick response from the government. Robertson’s quick thinking had saved the little girl’s life.4 cleverSEINTELLIGENT able to learn and understand things fast Jane’s very witty and very quick. She’s a quick learner. He’s a good interviewer, tough and quick on the uptake (=able to understand quickly what someone is saying).5 → be quick6 → be quick to do something7 → quick fix8 → have a quick temper9 → be quick on the draw —quickness noun [uncountable] → quicklyTHESAURUSquick taking only a short time to do somethingI took a quick look at the map.Do I have time for a quick shower before we go out?short lasting only a short timeYou can do a short course in diving.The meeting was shorter than I’d expected.brief especially written lasting only a short time. Brief is more formal than short, and is used especially in written EnglishThe president made a brief visit to Buenos Aires.a brief introduction to Piaget’s ideasa brief pause in the rainrapid especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etca rapid increase in crimethe rapid rate of industrial developmentspeedy happening or done as quickly as possible, especially so that you get the result that you wantBest wishes for a speedy recovery.The restoration work has been making speedy progress.prompt done very soon after something elseThank you for your prompt reply.the prompt action of the firefightersDiscounts will be offered for prompt payment.hasty deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad resultsIt was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.They had to make a hasty departure.cursory formal looking at something very quickly without much attention to detailEven a cursory glance at these figures shows that there is a problem.The police conducted a cursory search of the property.
Examples from the Corpus
quick• The beating McGee took was violent and quick.• She's very quick and able -- seems to pick things up in no time.• Craig was always quick at maths, but he had trouble with reading and writing.• Eventually, the consensus is, the bigger Dallas offensive line will wear down the quicker but smaller Pittsburgh players.• The quick cold made her skin tighten.• I had to make a quick decision.• That was quick -- have you finished already?• Carrie's very quick. I never had to explain anything twice.• She's going to give me a quick lesson on Feng Shui this afternoon.• I took a quick look at the map.• Don't make any quick movements, or you'll scare the birds.• Could I just make a quick phone call?• Can I ask just one quick question?• The house is priced for a quick sale.• Even lowering the price won't guarantee a quick sale.• Do I have time for a quick shower before we go out?• I'll just take a quick shower first.• We had three children in quick succession, and no spare cash.• Three more followed, in quick succession.• His tribe join him, five pairs, in loping flight, then a quick tail-up dive into the damsons.• Some children in the class are quicker than others.• Such opportunities, however, were quick to disappear.• Chicken can be quick to prepare.• You'll have to be quick - we don't have much time.in quick succession• Another ex-Dragon Steve Clark then forced Wood to make two good saves in quick succession.• Double-click - A mouse procedure where the left-hand mouse button is pressed twice in quick succession.• Her neediness drove her into marriage at a young age, and she gave birth to four children in quick succession.• Steelwork and the cladding followed in quick succession.• Three moves followed in quick succession.• Events moved in quick succession during these months.• I entered the woods just as three mortar explosions occurred in quick succession, somewhere in the trees a short distance away.quick decision• In fact, being able to make quick decisions about a whole host of issues becomes a necessity.• The overwhelming temptation and the external pressures will inevitably lead the other way; to take a quick decision and move on.• They were both in banking, and were therefore used to making quick decisions and to having a lot of responsibility.• Finally, we know how often you need a quick decision before an opportunity disappears.• Parish councillors were forced into making a quick decision when the gypsies began to occupy the football field. quick learner• She was strong, nimble, and a quick learner.• A quick learner and a creative entrepreneur, he was continually dreaming up new schemes to promote and enlarge the business.• Not only are leaders learners, but they are quick learners and they enjoy learning.quickquick2 ●●● S1 interjection HURRYused to tell someone to hurry or come quickly Quick! We’ll miss the bus!quickquick3 ●●○ S3 adverb FAST/QUICKquickly – many teachers think this is not correct English SYN fast Come quick! Larry’s on TV! It all happened pretty quick. Quick as a flash (=very quickly) she replied, ‘That’s not what I’ve heard!’► see thesaurus at quicklyExamples from the Corpus
quick• He was unbelievably quick, his hands, feet blurs in the high roof wind.• The end will come quick, in a matter of minutes.• You'll have to walk quicker than that if you want to keep up with me.Quick as a flash• It was an impulse. Quick as a flash.quickquick4 noun 1 → the quick2 → cut/sting/pierce somebody to the quick3 → the quick and the deadFrom Longman Business Dictionaryquickquick /kwɪk/ adjective quick and dirty quick and dirty methods or solutions are simple ones that can be used quickly, especially until something better and more permanent can be decidedWe need a quick and dirty way to cut fuel costs.Origin quick1 Old English cwic “alive” quick4 1. (1500-1600) Probably from a Scandinavian language. 2. Old English → QUICK1 