Quick (?), a. [Compar. Quicker (?); superl. Quickest.] [As. cwic, cwicu, cwucu, cucu, living; akin to OS. quik, D. kwik, OHG. quec, chec, G. keck bold, lively, Icel. kvikr living, Goth. qius, Lith. qȳvas, Russ. zhivoi, L. vivus living, vivere to live, Gr. bi`os life, Skr. jīva living, jīv to live. Cf. Biography, Vivid, Quitch grass, Whitlow.] 1. Alive; living; animate; -- opposed to dead or inanimate.

Not fully quyke, ne fully dead they were.

The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.
2 Tim. iv. 1.

Man is no star, but a quick coal
Of mortal fire.

☞ In this sense the word is nearly obsolete, except in some compounds, or in particular phrases.

2. Characterized by life or liveliness; animated; sprightly; agile; brisk; ready. " A quick wit." Shak.

3. Speedy; hasty; swift; not slow; as, be quick.

Oft he her his charge of quick return

4. Impatient; passionate; hasty; eager; eager; sharp; unceremonious; as, a quick temper.

The bishop was somewhat quick with them, and signified that he was much offended.

5. Fresh; bracing; sharp; keen.

The air is quick there,
And it pierces and sharpens the stomach.

6. Sensitive; perceptive in a high degree; ready; as, a quick ear. "To have an open ear, a quick eye." Shak.

They say that women are so quick.

7. Pregnant; with child. Shak.

Quick grass. (Bot.) See Quitch grass. -- Quick match. See under Match. -- Quick vein (Mining), a vein of ore which is productive, not barren. -- Quick vinegar, vinegar made by allowing a weak solution of alcohol to trickle slowly over shavings or other porous material. -- Quick water, quicksilver water. -- Quick with child, pregnant with a living child.

Syn. -- Speedy; expeditious; swift; rapid; hasty; prompt; ready; active; brisk; nimble; fleet; alert; agile; lively; sprightly.

Quick, v. t. & i. [See Quicken.] To revive; to quicken; to be or become alive. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Quick, n. 1. That which is quick, or alive; a living animal or plant; especially, the hawthorn, or other plants used in making a living hedge.

The works . . . are curiously hedged with quick.


This test nippeth, . . . this toucheth the quick.

How feebly and unlike themselves they reason when they come to the quick of the difference !

3. (Bot.) Quitch grass. Tennyson.

Quick (?), adv. In a quick manner; quickly; promptly; rapidly; with haste; speedily; without delay; as, run quick; get back quick.

If we consider how very quick the actions of the mind are performed.