quicklyquick‧ly /ˈkwɪkli/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 
We need to get this finished as quickly as possible. Kids grow up so quickly these days.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually use a verb such as rush, run, or hurry rather than say go quickly: She went quickly to fetch the doctor. ➔ She ran to fetch the doctor.2after only a very short time SYN soon: I realized fairly quickly that this wasn’t going to be easy.3for a short time: I’ll just quickly nip into that shop. ‘Have you talked to Vera about it yet?’ ‘Just quickly.’THESAURUSquickly at a high speed or without taking much time: · The stream was flowing quite quickly.· They quickly became friends.fast at a high speed – used especially when talking about how something moves: · You're driving too fast!· He ran home as fast as he could.quick spoken quickly – used in exclamations or in comparatives: · Quick! There’s a mouse!swiftly written quickly: · The government acted swiftly.· She was surprised that he agreed so swiftly.rapidly quickly – used especially about changes, increases, improvements etc: · The population is growing rapidly.· a rapidly changing worldspeedily quickly and therefore efficiently: · All problems were speedily dealt with.briskly quickly and energetically: · He walked briskly back along the path.at high/great speed at a very fast speed – used especially in technical descriptions: · The molecules are travelling at great speed.at a rapid rate especially written quickly – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: · Internet shopping is growing at a rapid rate.as quick as a flash/in a flash extremely quickly: · As quick as a flash, I was back in my bed and under the covers.like lightning moving extremely quickly: · Like lightning, the cat darted under the bushes.flat out especially British English at the fastest speed possible: · The car was going flat out.· He was running flat out.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Quickly fry the onions, then add the meat.
- Alex was knocked to the ground, but he quickly recovered.
- Don't eat too quickly.
- Fortunately, India quickly returned to calm after Mrs Gandhi's death.
- It's important to realize how quickly this disease can spread.
- Let me just talk to Eve quickly before we go.
- She undressed quickly and got into bed.
- Farquhar, unhurt apart from a huge lump on his head, bandaged Lachlan's wounds quickly before joining him at the oars.
- It reads quickly, like the Diaz story, a simple, straight forward pleasure.
- The California Department of Forestry said the crash sparked a small brush fire that was quickly extinguished.
- The water in the aquarium will quickly equal the ambient air temperature.
- Then she saw him look around quickly, but in all the wrong directions.
- This is usually tucked away under a fold of skin but it can be quickly erected and used as a weapon.
- We were asked only to make the bomb, devise it and construct it as quickly as possible.
- Yeast cells struggling to survive under suffocating conditions quickly excrete the ethanol fragments because they are basically poisonous.
THESAURUS
at a high speed or without taking much time: · The stream was flowing quite quickly.· They quickly became friends.
at a high speed – used especially when talking about how something moves: · You're driving too fast!· He ran home as fast as he could.
spoken quickly – used in exclamations or in comparatives: · Quick! There’s a mouse!
written quickly: · The government acted swiftly.· She was surprised that he agreed so swiftly.
quickly – used especially about changes, increases, improvements etc: · The population is growing rapidly.· a rapidly changing world
quickly and therefore efficiently: · All problems were speedily dealt with.
quickly and energetically: · He walked briskly back along the path.
at a very fast speed – used especially in technical descriptions: · The molecules are travelling at great speed.
especially written quickly – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: · Internet shopping is growing at a rapid rate.
extremely quickly: · As quick as a flash, I was back in my bed and under the covers.
moving extremely quickly: · Like lightning, the cat darted under the bushes.
especially British English at the fastest speed possible: · The car was going flat out.· He was running flat out.
Longman Language Activatordoing things quickly or happening quickly doing things quickly or happening quickly , without taking much time: · She undressed quickly and got into bed.· It's important to realize how quickly this disease can spread.· Quickly fry the onions, then add the meat.
a quick movement or action is one that you do quickly or one that only takes a short time: · I'll just take a quick shower.· That was quick -- have you finished already?· I had to make a quick decision.be quick (=use this when you are telling someone to hurry): · You'll have to be quick - we don't have much time.
if you work, talk, or write fast , you do it quickly: · Don't talk so fast - I can't understand what you're saying.· We're working as fast as we can.
a rapid change, increase, or improvement is one that happens much more quickly than usual: · a rapid increase in the population· She made a rapid recovery after her operation.· Adolescence is a period of great and rapid change.
happening or done very quickly and without any delay: · Punishment of the protesters was swift and severe.· Swift fashion changes mean that the shop has to change its stock every six to eight weeks.
a speedy return, reply, reaction, etc is one that is done or made successfully, as quickly and efficiently as possible: · We are working to ensure the safe and speedy return of all the refugees to their homes.· Thousands of letters and telegrams arrived wishing Nikolai a speedy recovery from his surgery.
a prompt action, reply, delivery etc is one that is done without delay because quick action is needed: · A major disaster was prevented by the prompt action of the safety officer.· It is important to ensure prompt delivery of goods that customers order.
: meteoric rise/career achieving success extremely quickly and suddenly: · The film tells the story of Lee's meteoric rise from North Dakota radio singer to jazz legend.
if something happens at an alarming rate , it happens so quickly that it makes people very worried: · The Amazonian rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.· The number of people dying from lung cancer has increased at an alarming rate.
use this to say that something happens extremely quickly and suddenly, so that you almost do not notice what is happening: · He was gone in a flash.· In a flash Atticus was up and standing over him.· Joel slipped but was on his feet in a flash.
in a short time from now or from a particular time in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens: · It'll soon be Christmas.· Driving in the city was hard at first, but she soon got used to it.· Why wasn't I told about this sooner?as soon as possible: · Please reply as soon as possible.as soon as you can: · I came as soon as I could.the sooner the better (=used to say that it is important that something is done very soon): · We need to get him to a hospital, and the sooner the better.after/afterwards: · They set off soon after breakfast.
after a fairly short time: · Those two will be getting married before long.· Her eyelids began to droop and before long she was fast asleep.
soon - use this especially about something that you know will happen soon: · We apologize for the delay -- the train will be leaving shortly.· The President will shortly be on his way to Italy for a trade conference.shortly after: · Her last novel was published shortly after her death.
use this to talk about something that will happen in the next few weeks or months, although you do not know exactly when: · She doesn't have a driver's license, but is hoping to pass her test in the near future.· A new health club is to be built here in the not too distant future.
spoken use this to say that something will happen soon or someone will arrive soon: · Dinner won't be long.· "When's Dad coming home?'' "He won't be long.''it won't be long before: · It won't be long before we're off on vacation.
use this to talk about something that happened fairly soon after a particular event: · They started playing together in June 1961, and it wasn't long before they got a recording contract.
if you do something quickly , you do it very soon after something else happens: · Alex was knocked to the ground, but he quickly recovered.· Fortunately, India quickly returned to calm after Mrs Gandhi's death.
time passes quickly · The rest of the weekend went too quickly -- he wanted it to last forever.· Today can't go fast enough for me.· The summer seems to have come and gone so quickly.make something go faster/more quickly (=to make work, a journey etc seem to take less time than it really does) · Reading on the train makes the journey go more quickly.· It's great having you to talk to. It makes the time go faster.
if a period of time flies by , it seems to pass very quickly, especially when you have been very busy or enjoying yourself: · The afternoon flew by as they went through the next scene together.· Hours can fly by as I write, and I don't even notice.· Time is flying by quickly now and it seems impossible that there are only three months left.
use this when you are surprised at how quickly the time has passed, especially when you have been enjoying yourself: · Is Richard eight already? Doesn't time fly?· "Hasn't the afternoon passed quickly?" said Carol. "Time flies when you're having fun."
if the minutes, the hours, time etc tick away , it passes, especially when you must do something before a particular time or when you are frightened or nervous: · He had to watch the minutes tick away while the emergency services tried to locate him. · Aware of how the minutes were ticking away, Julia desperately scribbled down the last few answers.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The plane moved slowly along the runway, then stopped. You’ll have to move fast if you want to get a place on the course.
· The market for phones is changing rapidly.
· Adam quickly gained the respect of the soldiers under his command.
The plane moved slowly along the runway, then stopped. You’ll have to move fast if you want to get a place on the course.· The goalkeeper had to react quickly.
· The matter was resolved quite quickly.
· House prices rose rapidly last year.
· The fire spread rapidly, consuming many of the houses.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB· Mr Keating is being urged to act quickly to avoid years of uncertainty while new claims are fought through the courts.· Democrats are pushing Woods and other Republicans to act quickly.· But police say they had to act quickly to protect staff and shoppers.· The group said it was acting quickly because it feared that the new law would have an immediate effect on the Internet.· He hadn't acted quickly enough.· Major airlines always act quickly to nip back.· They have to plan and act quickly to prevent any spread to other animals or humans.· Marquez, realizing he must act quickly, marched toward Queretaro.
· He added quickly: Because I don't, you know.· But it made no better sense, Johnson quickly added, for the Corps to build the dam instead.· But if we are speaking as Christians, we must quickly add that this situation is a problem only because of the Fall.· Eating out three times a week could quickly add up to thousands of dollars a year.· He added quickly that there was no hurry any more.· Chris Meredith, 28, of Selma, Ala., quickly added.
· The maxima quickly became the minima.· Love quickly became an important figure in the business world.· They meet in a daily group therapy session, and very quickly become lovers.· People eating contaminated whipped cream quickly become ill with stomach pains.· Learning, like training, quickly becomes obsolete.· Older people can quickly become dispirited and depressed by chronic illness.· But some diseases remain fatal, while others quickly become almost harmless.
· But things change quickly at Ferrari and, in 1990, he found himself swimming against the political tide.· Jim changed quickly, took out some clothes for the next morning, then wolfed down his dinner.· But things change quickly in the fashion world.· Presumably on many issues, and in many situations, attitudes in everyday life do change, and may change quickly.· Larson arrived early to unlock the front door and changed quickly into his swimming trunks.· Seconds of confusion quickly change to clear-cut orders and a follow-up.· For-like the weather-things change quickly for entrepreneurs.
· A pattern of trouble quickly came to be associated with the street gangs.· Marcus Camby bruised a knee in Hawaii, but quickly came back against Syracuse to score 20 points and secure 11 rebounds.· This port, founded as late as 1 130, very quickly came to enjoy all the characteristics of a boom town.· The about-face came quickly, though not easily and not without controversy.· Come quickly - don't disappoint me!· Cephalus, however, had quickly come to his senses and realized the poor part he had played.· Here, second use came quickly, a matter of hours rather than days or months.· When the engine turned over, he came quickly down the front steps and climbed in beside them.
· The journey is not a long one, a few centimetres only, and the babies quickly find a teat.· He quickly found three more foolish people.· I quickly found out that knowing the right answer was much easier than selling it.· I quickly found that mountain bikes don't particularly spare you the bumps.· Favorite recipes can be typed into the computer, organized by category and found quickly through a search function.· The Second International also insisted that the first socialist revolution in a major country would quickly find imitators elsewhere.· I also quickly found out that the city was full of churches.
· A dishonoured Note is normally quickly followed by insolvency proceedings.· The increases in quality, productivity, and profitability have followed quickly, as case after case proves they do.· Minnesota let parents and students choose their public schools-as in East Harlem-and six other states quickly followed suit.· They were quickly followed by her damp jumper.· If she makes a mistake and embarrasses you, an apology will follow quickly.· Dad pushed Mum indoors and Frankie and I followed quickly.· Streams can get high and swift very quickly following heavy rains.
· He learned quickly, soaking up both knowledge and art as a cloth soaks up clear water.· She quickly learned that her hope of finding a job and renting a place of her own was foolish.· Washington, which has had notification laws on the books for seven years, quickly learned from the arson experience.· They learn quickly, and keep trying even in confusing and conflicting circumstances. 2.· There is no penalty for being impertinent to supervisors who, in turn, quickly learn to keep their advice to themselves.· She learned quickly and eagerly and soon acquired sufficient know-how to join Anne Mowbray in the small schoolroom.· But we quickly learned that they were not.
· The first print run of 6,000 sold out and a second of 4,000 is moving quickly.· People stopped and then quickly moved on.· If speed is lost, quickly move forwards on the board.· But fear not -- things move quickly.· A rational Congress would move quickly to close the gun show loophole.· He moved quickly almost charging in the door, and slid into a chair opposite me.· He moved quickly to the lounge, and stood behind the door, listening for the key to go in the latch.· Novice players should be able to move quickly through the lessons and, from there, move on to more challenging material.
· Get used to being grabbed and reacting quickly.· You need to be alert and react quickly.· Sometime genuinely strong potential acquirers will not enter into such a process because they can not react quickly.· But Powergen bosses have reacted quickly to the new council demands.· He also reacted quickly to save after both McLoughlin and Clarke had seen efforts cleared off the line by Houghton.· But private investors reacted quickly by buying equities in the small hours of yesterday morning.· Sunderland reacted quickly to the set-back, with club record singing Don Goodman calmly picking his spot to equalise a minute later.· The flow of adrenalin can help the mind to react quickly in a given situation.
· Some patients respond quickly and satisfactorily to treatment.· When that happens and some one falls in a channel, the city and county fire department swift-water rescue teams must respond quickly.· Trained to respond quickly to danger.· Yet these Cowboys respond quickly to the question of where San Francisco ranks on their list of concerns.· When intruders appear, the chicks respond quickly to their parents' calls by crouching or running to shelter.· Visalia had adopted a radically new budget system, which allowed managers to respond quickly as circumstances changed.· Lenny responds quickly to requests made of him both by campers and counsellors alike.· Politically, this meant that individuals could gain immediate knowledge of events anywhere in the world and could respond quickly.
· It was a green scarf but let me quickly say that it was bereft of religious significance.· I quickly said, thankful for the new subject matter.· Simon said quickly, but before he could open the door, Tony was inside.· Lettie said quickly, taking the can of beer Patrice offered to her.· Miguel said quickly, yanking Cristalena away by the hand.
· It spreads quickly once inside the victim and is soon being circulated in the bloodstream.· Although news of her work in Motijhil had spread quickly, they had almost no financial means.· During the Pleistocene, Stone Age man appeared on the scene in Java and spread quickly.· The idea spread quickly to other cities.· Juliet felt a strange sort of throbbing inside her, that quickly spread like tentacles of fever through her body.· The rumor quickly spread among the black soldiers that other blacks were being brutalized by the police.· The industrial action quickly spread to transport and municipal workers and workers on tea, sugar and tobacco plantations.· The controversy quickly spread beyond the pages of the Reader.
· He turned quickly and saw it coming up the slope behind him.· Next came reddish-brown dry rot that turned quickly into smelly slime.· Willie turned quickly away and walked out of the door, his ears smarting.· A case against the Clintons built on the McDougals and Hale would quickly turn to rubble.· He turned quickly, his eyes wide and anxious.· They turn quickly to the page she wants.· As Sophie and Giles came through the doorway, Robert turned quickly away, leaving Dawn alone.· When the safety inspector comes to the door, the machine is quickly turned on.
· Spotting what he was after, he walked quickly over to the object and picked it up.· He walked quickly to the glass door of the bank.· She walked quickly up William Street, and waited for a break in the traffic before crossing South Street.· He walked quickly to the library after lunch and looked up one of the Violet books.· He walked quickly, his head full of morbid thoughts.· Then they stood up and began to walk quickly.· I could see a lot of people walking quickly.· She walked quickly and hardly spoke to him.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1fast: - A condition to be rectified as quickly as possible if she didn't want to be labelled a freak, or worse.
- Archibol was committed to relieving himself of the distraction of Isaac as quickly as possible.
- Experts do recommend that parents also put their babies in other positions as much as possible while awake.
- Preston avoided travelling by tube as much as possible, but sometimes it was forced upon him.
- Smokers, stop as quickly as possible and do not smoke in the presence of others.
- The food is freshly cooked using produce from the kitchen garden and local produce as much as possible.
- The Super Bowl was an outgrowth of the desire to take advantage of the merger as quickly as possible.
We need to get this finished as quickly as possible. Kids grow up so quickly these days.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually use a verb such as rush, run, or hurry rather than say go quickly: She went quickly to fetch the doctor. ➔ She ran to fetch the doctor.2after only a very short time SYN soon: I realized fairly quickly that this wasn’t going to be easy.3for a short time: I’ll just quickly nip into that shop. ‘Have you talked to Vera about it yet?’ ‘Just quickly.’THESAURUSquickly at a high speed or without taking much time: · The stream was flowing quite quickly.· They quickly became friends.fast at a high speed – used especially when talking about how something moves: · You're driving too fast!· He ran home as fast as he could.quick spoken quickly – used in exclamations or in comparatives: · Quick! There’s a mouse!swiftly written quickly: · The government acted swiftly.· She was surprised that he agreed so swiftly.rapidly quickly – used especially about changes, increases, improvements etc: · The population is growing rapidly.· a rapidly changing worldspeedily quickly and therefore efficiently: · All problems were speedily dealt with.briskly quickly and energetically: · He walked briskly back along the path.at high/great speed at a very fast speed – used especially in technical descriptions: · The molecules are travelling at great speed.at a rapid rate especially written quickly – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: · Internet shopping is growing at a rapid rate.as quick as a flash/in a flash extremely quickly: · As quick as a flash, I was back in my bed and under the covers.like lightning moving extremely quickly: · Like lightning, the cat darted under the bushes.flat out especially British English at the fastest speed possible: · The car was going flat out.· He was running flat out.