quicken

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: quick=en

CIDE DICTIONARY

quicken, v. t. [AS. cwician. See Quick, a.].

•  To make alive; to vivify; to revive or resuscitate, as from death or an inanimate state; hence, to excite; to, stimulate; to incite.  [1913 Webster]

  "The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead."  [1913 Webster]

  "Like a fruitful garden without an hedge, that quickens the appetite to enjoy so tempting a prize."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make lively, active, or sprightly; to impart additional energy to; to stimulate; to make quick or rapid; to hasten; to accelerate; as, to quicken one's steps or thoughts; to quicken one's departure or speed.  [1913 Webster]
•  To shorten the radius of (a curve); to make (a curve) sharper; as, to quicken the sheer, that is, to make its curve more pronounced.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To revive; resuscitate; animate; reinvigorate; vivify; refresh; stimulate; sharpen; incite; hasten; accelerate; expedite; dispatch; speed.

quicken, v. i. 

•  To come to life; to become alive; to become vivified or enlivened; hence, to exhibit signs of life; to move, as the fetus in the womb.  [1913 Webster]

  "The heart is the first part that quickens, and the last that dies."  [1913 Webster]

  "And keener lightnings quicken in her eye."  [1913 Webster]

  "When the pale and bloodless east began
  To quicken to the sun."  [1913 Webster]
•  To move with rapidity or activity; to become accelerated; as, his pulse quickened.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

quicken, v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become quicker; accelerate.
2 tr. give life or vigour to; rouse; animate; stimulate.
3 intr. a (of a woman) reach a stage in pregnancy when movements of the foetus can be felt. b (of a foetus) begin to show signs of life.
4 tr. archaic kindle; make (a fire) burn brighter.
5 intr. come to life.

THESAURUS

quicken

accelerate, activate, actuate, advance, advantage, aid, animate, arouse, awake, awaken, be begotten, be born, be incarnated, boost, brace, brace up, breathe life into, bring into being, bring into existence, bring to life, brisk, brisken, buck up, bundle, bustle, call into being, call into existence, cheer, chirk up, clear the way, come alive, come into being, come into existence, come to, come to life, conceive, conduce to, contribute to, crack on, crowd, cultivate, dispatch, drive on, dynamize, ease, electrify, encourage, endow with life, energize, enliven, excite, exhilarate, expedite, explain, facilitate, favor, fillip, fire, fortify, forward, fresh up, freshen, freshen up, further, gain ground, galvanize, give birth, give life to, goad, grease, grease the ways, grease the wheels, haste, hasten, hasten on, hearten, help along, hie on, hurry, hurry along, hurry on, hurry up, hustle, hustle up, induce, inflame, infuse life into, inspirit, invigorate, jazz up, kindle, lend wings to, live again, liven, loose, lubricate, make clear, make for, make sensitive, make way for, motivate, move, oil, open the throttle, open the way, open up, pave the way, pep up, perk up, pick up, pick up speed, pique, precipitate, prepare the way, press, promote, provoke, push, push forward, push on, push through, put forward, put on, put on steam, race, railroad through, reanimate, recreate, refine, refresh, refreshen, regale, reinvigorate, remove friction, renew, resurge, resuscitate, return to life, rev, revive, revivify, rise again, rouse, run interference for, rush, rush along, see the light, sensibilize, sensitize, set forward, set up, shake up, sharpen, simplify, smooth, smooth the way, snap up, soap the ways, spark, speed, speed along, speed up, spur, stampede, step on it, step up, stimulate, stir, unbar, unblock, unclog, unjam, urge, vitalize, vivify, wake, warm, whet, whip, whip along, zip up

ROGET THESAURUS

quicken

Haste

VB haste, hasten, make haste, make a dash, hurry on, dash on, whip on, push on, press on, press forward, hurry, skurry, scuttle along, barrel along, bundle on, dart to and fro, bustle, flutter, scramble, plunge, plunge headlong, dash off, rush, express, bestir oneself, lose no time, lose not a moment, lose not an instant, make short work of, make the best of one's time, make the best of one's way, be precipitate, jump at, be in haste, be in a hurry, have no time, have not a moment to lose, have not a moment to spare, work against time, quicken, accelerate, expedite, put on, precipitate, urge, whip, railroad.

Aid

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Agency

VB be in action, operate, work, act, act upon, perform, play, support, sustain, strain, maintain, take effect, quicken, strike, come play, come bring into operation, have play, have free play, bring to bear upon.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Velocity

VB move quickly, trip, fisk, speed, hie, hasten, post, spank, scuttle, scud, scuddle, scour, scour the plain, scamper, run like mad, beat it, fly, race, run a race, cut away, shot, tear, whisk, zoom, swoosh, sweep, skim, brush, cut along, bowl along, barrel along, barrel, scorch, burn up the track, rush, dash on, dash off, dash forward, bolt, trot, gallop, amble, troll, bound, flit, spring, dart, boom, march in quick time, march in double time, ride hard, get over the ground, hurry, accelerate, put on, quicken, quicken one's pace, mend one's pace, clap spurs to one's horse, make haste, make rapid strides, make forced marches, make the best of one's way, put one's best leg foremost, stir one's stumps, wing one's way, set off at a score, carry sail, crowd sail, go off like a shot, go like a shot, go ahead, gain ground, outstrip the wind, fly on the wings of the wind, keep up with, keep pace with, outstrip, outmarch.

Life

VB be alive, live, breathe, respire, subsist, walk the earth, strut and fret one's hour upon the stage, be spared, see the light, be born, come into the world, fetch breath, draw breath, fetch the breath of life, draw the breath of life, quicken, revive, come to life, give birth to, bring to life, put into life, vitalize, vivify, vivificate, reanimate, keep alive, keep body and soul together, keep the wolf from the door, support life, hive nine lives like a cat.