Word: quicken Part of Speech: verb 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”) Pronunciation: /ˈkwɪk(ə)n/ 1. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: transitive Example: […] 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. 2. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: transitive Example: 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. Example: 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; […] 3. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: transitive 4. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: also, figuratively, literary, transitive Example: Whoſoever will goo about to ſave his lyfe⸝ shall looſe it: And whoſoever ſhall looſe his life⸝ ſhall quycken it. Example: I haue ſeen a medicine That's able to breath life into a ſtone, Quicken a rocke, […] 5. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: […] she Quickened the fire and laid the board, […] Example: Was it alight once? Still lives spark enough For breath to quicken, run the smouldering ash Red right through. 6. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: Coole Violets, and Orpine growing ſtill, Embathed Balme, and chearfull Galingale, Freſh Coſtmarie, and breathfull Camomill, Poppie, and drink-quickning Setuale, […] Example: It were good alſo to Enforce the Spirits by ſome Mixtures, that may excite and quicken them. 7. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: obsolete, transitive Example: 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. 8. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: intransitive Example: 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. Example: The Chaplain's interest in the story visibly quickened. 9. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: intransitive Example: 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. Example: 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, […] 10. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: intransitive 11. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: also, figuratively, intransitive Example: […] 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. Example: 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. 12. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: also, figuratively, intransitive, literary 13. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: also, figuratively, intransitive, literary Example: O I, as ſummers flies, are in the ſhambles, That quicken euen with blovving: […] Example: 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. 14. Senses relating to life or states of activity. Labels: intransitive, rare 15. Senses relating to speed. Labels: transitive Example: 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. Example: 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. 16. Senses relating to speed. Labels: archaic, transitive Example: to quicken the sheer, that is, to make its curve more pronounced 17. Senses relating to speed. Labels: intransitive Example: My heartbeat quickened when I heard him approach. Example: Tess's breath quickened.