quicken🔊

{{non-gloss|Senses relating to life or states of activity.}}

(transitive)

# To put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.

# To inspire or stimulate (an action, a feeling, etc.).

# To stimulate or assist the fermentation of (an alcoholic beverage, dough, etc.).

# (figuratively) To give life to (someone or something never alive or once dead); to animate, to resurrect, to revive.

# (archaic) To make or help (something) to burn.

# (obsolete)

(intransitive)

# To take on a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to be excited or roused.

# To grow bright; to brighten.

# Of an alcoholic beverage, dough, etc.: to ferment.

# (figuratively) Of a pregnant woman: to first feel the movements of the foetus, or reach the stage of pregnancy at which this takes place; of a foetus: to begin to move.

# (figuratively)

# (rare) To inspire or stimulate.

{{non-gloss|Senses relating to speed.}}

(transitive)

# (make faster) To make (something) quicker or faster; to hasten, speed up.

# (archaic) To shorten the radius of (a curve); to make (a curve) sharper, or (an incline) steeper.

To become quicker or faster.

(rare) To apply quicksilver (mercury) to (something); to combine (something) with quicksilver; to quicksilver.

(Northern England) ''In full'' quicken tree: the European rowan, rowan, or mountain ash ((species)).

(Scotland) (couch grass) (“a species of grass, (species)”); also (in the plural), the underground rhizomes of this, and sometimes other grasses.