Quickly

/ˈkwɪkli/

adverbBeginner🔥Very CommonGeneral
1 meaning1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

1

At a fast pace; with little delay.

/ˈkwɪkli/

adverbneutralBeginner
General

In a short time; rapidly

She finished the race quickly.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to get somewhere super fast, like when the ice cream truck is coming! 'Quickly' means you do something fast.

👶 For kids: Doing something fast, like running fast!

More Examples

2

The fire spread quickly.

3

He learned the new language quickly.

How It's Used

General

"He ate his lunch quickly."

News

"The situation escalated quickly."

Synonyms & Antonyms

Idioms & expressions

as quickly as possible

With the greatest possible speed.

"Please respond to this email as quickly as possible."

From Middle English *quikly*, equivalent to *quick* + *-ly*. 'Quick' in this context meaning 'living' or 'lively,' reflecting a swiftness or alacrity.

Used since Middle English, often in conjunction with verbs expressing action or change.

Memory tip

Think of a cheetah; they move quickly!

Word Origin

LanguageOld English
Original meaning

"In the Old English language, the word 'cwic' (from which 'quick' derives) meant 'alive' or 'living'. The suffix '-ly' transformed the adjective into an adverb."

move quicklyreact quicklylearn quicklyrespond quicklyas quickly as possible

Common misspellings

quickleyquikly

Usage

70%Spoken
30%Written