Library / English Dictionary

QUICKEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give new life or energy to

Example:

This treatment repaired my health

Synonyms:

animate; quicken; reanimate; recreate; renovate; repair; revive; revivify; vivify

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "quicken" is one way to...):

arouse; brace; energise; energize; perk up; stimulate (cause to be alert and energetic)

Verb group:

come to; resuscitate; revive (return to consciousness)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

quickener (an agent that gives or restores life or vigor)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Show signs of life

Example:

the fetus quickened

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "quicken" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

quickening (the stage of pregnancy at which the mother first feels the movements of the fetus)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move faster

Example:

The car accelerated

Synonyms:

accelerate; quicken; speed; speed up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "quicken" is one way to...):

deepen; intensify (become more intense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "quicken"):

brisk; brisk up; brisken (become brisk)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

quickening (the act of accelerating; increasing the speed)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Give life or energy to

Example:

The cold water invigorated him

Synonyms:

invigorate; quicken

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "quicken" is one way to...):

excite; stimulate (act as a stimulant)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

quickener (an agent that gives or restores life or vigor)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make keen or more acute

Example:

whet my appetite

Synonyms:

quicken; whet

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "quicken" is one way to...):

excite; stimulate; stir (stir feelings in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

So saying, he quickened his pace, and the three comrades were soon close to the straggling and broad-spread town which centered round the noble church and the frowning castle.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The hand continued slowly to descend, while he crouched beneath it, eyeing it malignantly, his snarl growing shorter and shorter as, with quickening breath, it approached its culmination.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The current had turned at right angles, sweeping round along with it the tall schooner and the little dancing coracle; ever quickening, ever bubbling higher, ever muttering louder, it went spinning through the narrows for the open sea.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

She only knew that Henrietta was at home again; and that Louisa, though considered to be recovering fast, was still in Lyme; and she was thinking of them all very intently one evening, when a thicker letter than usual from Mary was delivered to her; and, to quicken the pleasure and surprise, with Admiral and Mrs Croft's compliments.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Her conviction of being right, however, was not enough to restore her composure; till she had spoken to Miss Tilney she could not be at ease; and quickening her pace when she got clear of the Crescent, she almost ran over the remaining ground till she gained the top of Milsom Street.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Neptune has been retrograding since June 21, so this will mark a substantial and welcome quickening to the pace of events—you will see life speed up appreciably, and when you capture a goal, it will be so gratifying.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He had felt his pulse quicken a trifle at the business manager's brusqueness, and upon him he kept an alert eye, for it was in that gentleman's trousers pocket that he divined the Transcontinental's ready cash was reposing.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

At first, it was a sort of stupefaction; but every moment was quickening her perception of the horrible evil.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The morning was quickening in the east when we emerged from the front.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I quickened my pace, and, passing among them, wondering at their looks, went hurriedly in.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)