quicken
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to become more active, sensitive, etc..
This drug causes the pulse to quicken.
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to become alive; receive life.
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(of the mother) to enter that stage of pregnancy in which the fetus gives indications of life.
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(of a fetus in the womb) to begin to manifest signs of life.
verb
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to make or become faster; accelerate
he quickened his walk
her heartbeat quickened with excitement
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to impart to or receive vigour, enthusiasm, etc; stimulate or be stimulated
science quickens man's imagination
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to make or become alive; revive
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(of an unborn fetus) to begin to show signs of life
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(of a pregnant woman) to reach the stage of pregnancy at which movements of the fetus can be felt
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Other Word Forms
- quickener noun
- requicken verb
- unquickened adjective
Etymology
Origin of quicken
First recorded in 1250–1300, quicken is from the Middle English word quikenen. See quick, -en 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company needs to quicken its jet production rate to make that happen.
His pulse quickened and he felt his skin prickling with sweat.
From Literature
Natalie felt her pulse quicken as she came back to her old, familiar topic.
From Literature
“Even if that were true, what would you do with Wall Street?” said Boaz, quickening his pace.
From Literature
As the artificial-intelligence race intensifies, the speed with which the world’s biggest chip companies roll out each successive generation of computing products is quickening.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
