quick

quick — adjective

1. Happening in a very short amount of time, or lasting for only a short period.

1.adjectiveA1
Definition

Happening in a very short amount of time, or lasting for only a short period.

Example

The quick shower left Yara feeling refreshed before work.

collocation: quick shower / quick look / quick reply

Inês sent a quick reply and then closed her laptop.

Common collocations
  • quick shower
  • quick look
  • quick reply
  • quick decision
  • quick meal
  • quick visit
  • quick glance
Synonyms
  • rapid

    more formal; used for processes and changes rather than actions

  • swift

    slightly literary; emphasises smoothness and lack of delay

  • brief

    focuses on short duration rather than speed

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

Usage Note

This is the most common sense of the word and pairs with a wide range of nouns such as 'meal', 'walk', 'glance', 'stop', and 'visit'.

Common Mistakes

I had a fast shower this morning.
I had a quick shower this morning.
'fast' describes speed of movement; 'quick' describes short duration or promptness of action.

2. Able to move or act at high speed without difficulty.

2.adjectiveA2
Definition

Able to move or act at high speed without difficulty.

Example

Christopher is a quick runner who often wins school races.

pattern: quick + noun for a fast person

The delivery driver was quick, bringing the package in under an hour.

Common collocations
  • quick runner
  • quick walker
  • quick with one's hands
  • quick enough
Synonyms
  • fast

    more general; used for both people and machines

  • speedy

    slightly informal; emphasises high speed

  • nimble

    suggests light, graceful speed

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

be + quick

Usage Note

Often appears with body parts in the pattern 'quick with [one's] hands / feet' to describe manual or physical dexterity.

3. Done too fast without enough thought, often leading to mistakes or problems.

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

Done too fast without enough thought, often leading to mistakes or problems.

Example

Ilan has a quick temper and often says things he later regrets.

collocation: quick temper

Soraya made a quick decision to quit, and she regretted it the next day.

collocation: quick decision (negative sense)

Common collocations
  • quick temper
  • quick decision (negative)
  • quick answer
  • quick judgment
  • quick to criticise
  • quick to anger
Synonyms
  • hasty

    direct synonym; both are critical of the lack of thought

  • rash

    stronger; suggests recklessness and greater risk

  • impulsive

    focuses on acting on sudden feeling rather than reason

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

quick to + infinitive

Usage Note

When paired with 'temper', 'decision', or 'judgment', this sense carries a negative implication of carelessness. Compare with sense 1, where 'quick decision' can be neutral or positive.

Common Mistakes

She made a quick decision to buy the house without even reading the contract.
She made a quick decision after checking the papers carefully.
The first implies carelessness (negative); the second implies efficiency. For positive speed, use 'rapid': 'She made a rapid decision after reviewing the documents.'

4. Having a sharp mind that understands, notices, or reacts to things very fast.

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

Having a sharp mind that understands, notices, or reacts to things very fast.

Example

Yuki has a quick mind and solves crossword puzzles in seconds.

collocation: quick mind

The lawyer was quick to spot the hidden mistake in the contract.

pattern: quick to spot / notice / realise

Common collocations
  • quick mind
  • quick wit
  • quick understanding
  • quick to notice
  • quick to spot
  • quick response
Synonyms
  • sharp

    informal; suggests cleverness and alertness

  • astute

    more formal; suggests the ability to assess situations accurately

  • perceptive

    emphasises noticing things others miss

Antonyms
  • slow

    not quick to understand

  • dull

    lacking mental sharpness

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

be + quick to + verb (mental action)

Usage Note

Unlike sense 3 ('quick to criticise'), this sense of 'quick to + verb' is positive and describes mental agility. The verb following is typically a mental action like 'notice', 'realise', 'understand', or 'spot'.

5. Able to learn new skills or information in a short time with little difficulty.

5.adjectiveB1
Definition

Able to learn new skills or information in a short time with little difficulty.

Example

The new student is quick and picked up French in three months.

Inês is a quick learner who masters new software within days.

collocation: quick learner

Common collocations
  • quick learner
  • quick to learn
  • quick at picking up
  • quick study
  • quick at learning
Synonyms
  • gifted

    suggests natural talent rather than just speed of learning

  • apt

    more formal; implies both ability and readiness to learn

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

be + quick to + verb

be + quick at + noun/gerund

Usage Note

Often appears in job references and performance reviews: 'a quick learner' is a common phrase in recommendation letters. 'Quick at + gerund' is a frequent pattern for this sense.

6. Made or done in a hurry, and therefore not thorough, polished, or of good qualit

6.adjectiveB2
Definition

Made or done in a hurry, and therefore not thorough, polished, or of good quality.

Example

The team made a quick fix to keep the website running overnight.

collocation: quick fix

Renata drew a quick sketch of the house layout on a napkin.

Common collocations
  • quick fix
  • quick solution
  • quick test
  • quick sketch
  • quick and dirty
Synonyms
  • makeshift

    focuses on being a temporary substitute

  • rough

    emphasises lack of polish rather than speed

  • provisional

    more formal; implies a temporary arrangement

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

quick + noun

Usage Note

Often appears in technical or project contexts. 'Quick and dirty' is a set phrase describing a temporary workaround, while 'quick fix' suggests a shallow solution that may not address underlying causes.

Idioms

cut to the quick

idiom

To hurt someone deeply emotionally, usually through harsh words or unkind behaviour.

His mother's criticism cut him to the quick, and he did not speak for the rest of the evening.

The unfair accusation cut Yuki to the quick because she had worked so hard on the project.

quick and dirty

idiom

Done or made in a hurry with little attention to quality, usually as a temporary solution.

We did a quick and dirty check of the numbers before sending the report.

The programmer wrote a quick and dirty script to sort the files overnight.

quick fix

idiom

A fast but usually temporary solution that does not solve the underlying problem.

There is no quick fix for the company's money problems — it will take months.

The government is looking for a quick fix rather than real reform.

quick on the draw / quick on the trigger

idiom

Reacting or responding very quickly, especially in conversation or competition.

The comedian was quick on the draw, firing back a joke before the audience finished laughing.

In debates, Padma is quick on the trigger and never misses a chance to respond.

quick study

idiom

A person who learns new things very quickly and with little effort.

The new intern is a quick study who already understands our filing system after one day.

Mauricio was a quick study on the guitar, playing simple songs by the second lesson.

make a quick buck

idiom

To earn money easily and quickly, sometimes by dishonest or unfair methods.

These online sellers are just trying to make a quick buck by selling fake designer bags.

Felix was not interested in building a career — he just wanted to make a quick buck.

be quick/fast on the draw

idiom

To understand or react very quickly in a new situation.

Maya was quick on the draw and answered the riddle first.

In debates, Diego is fast on the draw with clever responses.

be quick/slow on the uptake

idiom

To understand something quickly or slowly.

Sara is quick on the uptake and grasped the concept immediately.

Is Brian always this slow on the uptake with new software?

have a quick/short temper

idiom

To become angry very easily.

Aiden has a quick temper and often shouts at small mistakes.

My boss has a short temper, so be careful what you say.

make a fast/quick buck

idiom

To earn money quickly and easily, often without much effort.

He tried to make a quick buck by selling fake tickets.

Min is not interested in making a fast buck; she wants a real career.

quick/slow off the mark

idiom

Reacting quickly or slowly to a situation.

If you are quick off the mark, you might get the last ticket.

The company was slow off the mark and lost the contract.

quick — exclamation

quick — adverb

quick — noun

Word family

  • quickly
    adverbA1
  • quickness
    nounB2
  • quicken
    verbB2
  • quicker
    adjectiveA2
  • quickest
    adjectiveA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something happening at high speed, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Fast' is the most general and neutral — it applies equally to people, vehicles, processes, and music ('a fast car', 'a fast learner', 'fast music'). 'Quick' (sense 1) focuses on the time taken for an action or event and often pairs with nouns describing brief activities ('quick shower', 'quick look'). 'Rapid' is more formal and is typically used for processes, changes, or growth ('rapid economic growth', 'rapid heartbeat') rather than deliberate human actions. 'Swift' carries a slightly literary or elegant tone and suggests smooth, efficient motion without hesitation ('a swift response', 'a swift recovery'). 'Speedy' is slightly informal and often implies an impressively high rate of movement or completion ('speedy delivery', 'speedy service'). In daily conversation, 'fast' and 'quick' dominate; 'rapid' and 'swift' appear more in news reports and formal writing, while 'speedy' is common in commercial contexts such as delivery and customer service.

fast ↗rapid ↗swift ↗speedy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • quick learner
  • quick temper
  • quick wit
  • quick fix
  • quick glance
  • quick look
  • quick reply
  • quick decision

Adverbs

  • very quick
  • fairly quick
  • surprisingly quick
  • remarkably quick

Phrases

  • quick and easy
  • quick and dirty
  • quick off the mark
  • quick on the uptake
  • quick on the draw

Prepositions

  • quick at
  • quick with
  • quick to

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The word 'quick' originates from the Old English 'cwic', meaning 'alive, living, or animate'. In early English, 'quick' referred to what is living (as in 'the quick and the dead') or lively. From this sense of 'full of life', the meaning shifted to 'brisk, active, energetic', and eventually to 'fast'. The noun sense (sensitive flesh under nails) preserves the oldest meaning of 'living tissue'. This same Germanic root is related to Latin 'vivus' (alive) and Greek 'bios' (life), which gave us English words like 'vivid', 'vital', and 'biology'. The flat-adverb use ('come quick' for 'come quickly') dates back to Middle English and has persisted in informal speech ever since.