quicken
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈkwɪk(ə)n/
rhymes: -ɪkən
Forms: form: quickens
form: quickening
form: quickened
form: quickened
Etymology: From Middle English quikenen (“to become alive again after dying; to raise (someone) from the dead; to regain consciousness or strength; to give vitality, revive; to regain validity; to nourish; to spare (the life of someone or something); to ignite; to illuminate; of events: to happen more quickly; of clouds: to form”) [and other forms], from quiken (“to come to life; to become alive again after dying; to give or regain vitality, revive; of a seed: to germinate, grow; to arouse (anger); to inspire; to reinforce, strengthen; to make (a substance) alchemically active; to nourish, sustain; to sharpen; to ignite; to illuminate; of news: to spread”) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive forms of verbs). Quiken is derived from Old English cwician (“to bring to life, vivify; to come to life, become living; to quicken”), from cwic (“alive, live, living; mentally agile; intelligent, keen”) (ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kwikwaz (“alive; lively; quick”) and Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- (“to live”)) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns). The English word may be analysed as quick (“moving with swiftness; occurring in a short time; (archaic) alive, living; (archaic) pregnant”) + -en (suffix attached to some adjectives forming transitive verbs meaning ‘to make [adjective]’).
Cognates
* Danish kvikne (“to quicken, revive”)
* Icelandic kvikna (“to ignite; to turn on”)
* Swedish kvickna (“to revive”)
Senses: examples: text: […] Italy had quickened Cecil, not to tolerance, but to irritation. He saw that the local society was narrow, but, instead of saying, "Does this very much matter?" he rebelled, and tried to substitute for it the society he called broad.
ref: 1908, E[dward] M[organ] Forster, “Cecil as a Humourist”, in A Room with a View, London: Edward Arnold, →OCLC, part II, page 170:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.
synonyms: word: motivate
word: stir up
word: animate
word: arouse
word: awaken
word: beghast
word: leaven
word: bright
word: brighten
word: cheer
word: energize
word: enliven
word: enthuse
word: exalt
word: excite
word: fire up
word: ginger
word: ginger up
word: inflame
word: invigorate
word: inspire
word: inspirit
word: jazz
word: kindle
word: liven
word: liven up
word: perk up
word: quicken
word: spice
word: spice up
word: stimulate
word: vitalise
word: animate
word: awaken
word: electrify
word: enflame
word: enkindle
word: enthrill
word: exagitate
word: excite
word: exhilarate
word: exsuscitate
word: fillip
word: fire
word: fire the blood
word: galvanize
word: gin up
word: ignite
word: inflame
word: intoxicate
word: kindle
word: quicken
word: rouse
word: send
word: set fire to
word: set on fire
word: sharpen
word: stir the blood
word: suscitate
word: thrill
word: vitalise
word: wake
word: warm the blood
word: whet
word: wind up
word: work up
word: yerk
examples: text: For ſurely, a rich Land, guardleſs and undefended, muſt needs have been a double Incitement, and ſuch an one, as might not only admit, but even invite the Enemy. It was like a fruitful Garden, or a fair Vineyard without an Hedge, that quickens the Appetite to enjoy ſo tempting, and withal ſo eaſy a Prize.
ref: 1667; first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at the Consecration of a Chapel”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet, […], →OCLC, pages 289–290:
text: This quicken'd my Reſolution to reſtore her Money, and not only ſo, but I reſolv'd I would give her ſomething over and above her Loſs; […]
ref: 1723, [Daniel Defoe], The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Col. Jacque, Commonly Call’d Col. Jack, […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] Brotherton, […], →OCLC, page 106:
text: Strange! how the frequent interjected daſh,
Quickens a market and helps off the traſh,
Th' important letters that include the reſt,
Serve as a key to thoſe that are ſuppreſs'd,
Conjecture gripes the victims in his paw,
The world is charm'd, and Scrib. eſcapes the law.
ref: 1782, William Cowper, “Charity”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 206:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To inspire or stimulate (an action, a feeling, etc.).
synonyms: word: instigate
word: spark off
word: abet
word: actuate
word: goose
word: send
word: sting
word: bring about
word: cheer
word: drive
word: encourage
word: egg on
word: engender
word: evoke
word: excite
word: foment
word: goad
word: grill
word: ignite
word: impel
word: incite
word: induce
word: inflame
word: instigate
word: invoke
word: lash
word: motive
word: motivate
word: move
word: obligate
word: oblige
word: push
word: promote
word: prompt
word: provoke
word: rouse
word: set off
word: spark off
word: spur
word: spur on
word: stimulate
word: stir
word: stir up
word: stoke
word: tempt
word: urge
word: whet
word: whip up
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To stimulate or assist the fermentation of (an alcoholic beverage, dough, etc.).
examples: text: Whoſoever will goo about to ſave his lyfe⸝ shall looſe it: And whoſoever ſhall looſe his life⸝ ſhall quycken it.
ref: 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Gospell off S. Luke xvij:[33], folio cv, verso:
text: I haue ſeen a medicine
That's able to breath life into a ſtone,
Quicken a rocke, […]
ref: c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 235, column 2:
text: the Miſtris which I ſerue, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours, pleaſures: […]
ref: 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 10, column 2:
text: The egg, when laid, by warmth is made a chicken,
And Christ by grace the dead in sin does quicken.
ref: 1686, John Bunyan, “[Divine Emblems; or, Temporal Things Spiritualized: Fitted for the Use of Boys and Girls] Meditations upon an Egg”, in Henry Stebbing, editor, The Entire Works of John Bunyan, […], volume IV, London: James S[prent] Virtue, […], published 1863, →OCLC, page 447, column 1:
text: still the freſh Spring finds
New plants to quicken, and new groves to green.
ref: a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Autumn”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 138, lines 662–663:
text: upon Earth
All good shall droop and sicken, and ill things
Shall with a spirit of unnatural life
Stir and be quickened … even as I am now.
ref: 1819, Percy B[ysshe] Shelley, The Cenci: A Tragedy, […], [Livorno], Italy: […] [Percy B. Shelley] for C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier […], →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 64:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To give life to (someone or something never alive or once dead); to animate, to resurrect, to revive.
synonyms: enliven
vitalise
vivify
examples: text: […] she
Quickened the fire and laid the board, […]
ref: 1870, William Morris, “December: The Fostering of Aslaug”, in The Earthly Paradise: A Poem, part IV, London: F[rederick] S[tartridge] Ellis, […], →OCLC, page 75:
text: Was it alight once? Still lives spark enough
For breath to quicken, run the smouldering ash
Red right through.
ref: 1887, Robert Browning, “With Charles Avison”, in Parleyings with Certain People of Importance in Their Day: […], London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 210:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To make or help (something) to burn.
synonyms: word: alight
word: conflagrate
word: fire
word: fire up
word: ignite
word: inflame
word: kindle
word: light
word: light up
word: set ablaze
word: set afire
word: set aflame
word: set alight
word: set fire
word: set on fire
word: torch
examples: text: Coole Violets, and Orpine growing ſtill,
Embathed Balme, and chearfull Galingale,
Freſh Coſtmarie, and breathfull Camomill,
Poppie, and drink-quickning Setuale, […]
ref: 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Muiopotmos, or The Fate of the Butterflie”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC:
text: It were good alſo to Enforce the Spirits by ſome Mixtures, that may excite and quicken them.
ref: 1631, Francis [Bacon], “IV. Century. [Experiments in Consort Touching Maturation, and the Accelerating thereof. And First Touching the Maturation and Quickning of Drinks. And Next Touching the Maturation of Fruits..]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 314, page 82:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To make (a drug, liquor, etc.) more effective or stimulating.
examples: text: Venus, for Hero was her prieſt, and Iuno Lucina the midwifes goddeſſe, for ſhe was now quickned, and caſt away by the cruelty of Æolus, tooke bread and ſalt and eate it, that they would bee ſmartlie reuenged on that truculent windy iailour, and they forgot it not, for Venus made his ſonne and his daughter to committe inceſt together.
ref: 1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, page 46:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
Of a pregnant woman: to be in the state of reaching the stage of pregnancy at which the movements of the foetus are first felt.
qualifier: passive voice
examples: text: Born with her life, creature of poignant thirst
And exquisite hunger, at her heart Love lay
Quickening in darkness, till a voice that day
Cried on him, and the bonds of birth were burst.
ref: 1870, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, “[Sonnets and Songs, towards a Work to be Called ‘The House of Life.’ Sonnets.] The House of Life. Sonnet I. Bridal Birth.”, in Poems, London: F[rederick] S[tartridge] Ellis, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 189:
text: The Chaplain's interest in the story visibly quickened.
ref: 1910, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Lost Sanjak”, in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 15:
text: The milch-goat looked up from her supper of waste paper; her perennial optimism quickened within her, and swelled to a great and mature confidence; […]
ref: 1938 May, Evelyn Waugh, chapter 4, in Scoop: A Novel about Journalists, uniform edition, London: Chapman & Hall, published 1948 (1951 printing), →OCLC, book II (Stones £20), page 164:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To take on a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to be excited or roused.
examples: text: The fair each moment riſes in her charms,
Repairs her ſmiles, awakens ev'ry grace,
And calls forth all the wonders of her face;
Sees by degrees a purer bluſh ariſe,
And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.
ref: 1714, Alexander Pope, “The Rape of the Lock”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], published 1717, →OCLC, canto I, page 128:
text: She found no rest, and ever fail'd to draw
The quiet night into her blood, but lay
Contemplating her own unworthiness;
And when the pale and bloodless east began
To quicken to the sun, arose, […]
ref: 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 29:
text: Meanwhile the light quickened, and gradually disclosed the form and outline of the adjacent domain.
ref: 1885, Bret Harte, chapter I, in Maruja, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC, page 6:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To grow bright; to brighten.
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
Of an alcoholic beverage, dough, etc.: to ferment.
examples: text: […] about a month ago she [Lady Castlemaine] quickened at my Lord Gerard's at dinner, and cried out that she was undone; and all the lords and men were fain to quit the room, and women called to help her.
ref: 1663 January 11 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “January 1st, 1662–1663”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume III, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1893, →OCLC, page 1:
text: Almighty Vigour ſtrove though all the Void,
And ſuch prolifick Influence employ'd,
That ancient, barren Night did pregnant grow,
And quicken'd with the World in Embrio.
ref: 1695, Richard Blackmore, “Book II”, in Prince Arthur. An Heroick Poem. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Awnsham and John Churchil […], →OCLC, pages 35–36:
text: Royal pregnancies were not announced in those days; the news generally crept out, and public anticipation was aroused only when the child quickened.
ref: 2013 February 21, Hilary Mantel, “Royal Bodies”, in Mary-Kay Wilmers, editor, London Review of Books, volume 35, number 4, London: LRB Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Dec 2021:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
Of a pregnant woman: to first feel the movements of the foetus, or reach the stage of pregnancy at which this takes place; of a foetus: to begin to move.
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To give life; to make alive.
examples: text: O I, as ſummers flies, are in the ſhambles,
That quicken euen with blovving: […]
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragœdy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. […] (First Quarto), London: […] N[icholas] O[kes] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1622, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 71:
text: Goddeſs of Shades, beneath whoſe gloomy Reign
Yon ſpangled Arch glows with the ſtarry Train,
Who doſt the Cares of Heav'n and Earth allay,
Till Nature quicken'd by th'Inſpiring Ray,
Wakes to new Vigor with the riſing Day.
ref: 1712 May, [Alexander] Pope, transl., “The First Book of Statius his Thebais”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 40:
text: But in every Vein
Life quickens again
On the Boſom of May.
ref: 1729 April, [John] Gay, Polly: An Opera. Being the Second Part of The Beggar’s Opera, London: […] T. Thomson [actually by James Watson and Samuel Aris for Thomas Astley], […], →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4:
text: Below were men and horses pierced with worms,
And slowly quickening into lower forms;
By shards and scurf of salt, and scum of dross,
Old plash of rains, and refuse patch'd with moss.
ref: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Vision of Sin”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 225:
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To come back to life, to receive life.
glosses: Senses relating to life or states of activity.
To inspire or stimulate.
examples: text: For you may ſooner by Imagination, quicken or ſlacke a Motion, than raiſe or ceaſe it; As it is eaſier to make a Dog goe ſlower, than to make him ſtand ſtill that he may not runne.
ref: 1631, Francis [Bacon], “X. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching the Secret Vertue of Sympathy, and Antipathy.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 990, page 255:
text: Whoever has been much accuſtomed to viſit ſuch manufactures, muſt frequently have been ſhown very pretty machines, which were the inventions of common workmen in order to facilitate and quicken their own particular part of the work.
ref: 1776 March 9, Adam Smith, “Of the Division of Labour”, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, book I (Of the Causes of Improvement in the Productive Powers of Labour, […]), page 12:
text: Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
ref: 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “Afterglow”, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC, page 168:
text: That day Arya quickened their pace, keeping the horses to a trot as long as she dared, and sometimes spurring to a gallop when she spied a flat stretch of field before them.
ref: 2000 August 8, George R[aymond] R[ichard] Martin, “Arya [Stark]”, in A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire; 3), London: Voyager, →ISBN, page 38:
glosses: Senses relating to speed.
To make (something) quicker or faster; to hasten, speed up.
synonyms: word: accelerate
word: accelerate
word: chop-chop
word: get a move on
word: get a wiggle on
word: get it on
word: get one's ass in gear
word: get one's skates on
word: get the lead out
word: hasten
word: hurry up
word: mend one's pace
word: pick up speed
word: put on
word: quicken
word: speed up
word: step up
word: surge
examples: text: to quicken the sheer, that is, to make its curve more pronounced
topics: business
construction
manufacturing
glosses: Senses relating to speed.
To shorten the radius of (a curve); to make (a curve) sharper, or (an incline) steeper.
qualifier: nautical (shipbuilding)
examples: text: My heartbeat quickened when I heard him approach.
text: Tess's breath quickened.
ref: 1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXX, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume II, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the fourth (The Consequence), page 118:
text: His lips traveled to her wrist and she knew he must fell the leap of her pulse as her heart quickened and she tried to draw back her hand. She had not bargained on this—this treacherous warm tide of feeling that made her want to run her hands through his hair, to feel his lips upon her mouth.
ref: 1936 June 30, Margaret Mitchell, chapter XIX, in Gone with the Wind, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC; republished New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, 1944, →OCLC, part IV, page 339:
text: On straights speed would quicken to what was apparently the maximum allowed on this stretch, 140 k.p.h., or 87.5 m.p.h., and then one would see the track disappearing ahead round a sharpish curve, for there are some of 35 and 40 chains' radius on this side of the summit as well.
ref: 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe’s Most Luxurious Express – the ‘Settebello’”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 144:
glosses: Senses relating to speed.
To become quicker or faster.
Derived terms: word: quicken up
word: quickened
word: quickener
word: quickening