to quicken

Examples

• All

• Suddenly, my breath quickens, my mouth going just a little bit dry.

  Fiction book (1995)

• Emotional responsiveness, in turn, quickens attention—we are tuned to the importance of all moments of our existence.

  Academic text (2009)

• We hope for the opportunity of friendship that will quicken our sense of a remarkably diverse human family.

• At other times, his interest in current political affairs quickens only when they touch on the university.

  Academic text (1991)

• This is, well, you'll see what this is, but it certainly quickened the beating of my heart.

  Harvard University

• Her eyes burned with an almost fanatical light, her breathing quickened, and her skin took on a glow.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Many fares had told him that winter made them feel more alive, quickened the senses, and expanded the lungs.

  Fiction book (1998)

• Within a week, his exhilaration quickened to a new note, the dark lovely voice of Daisy Fay.

  Fiction book (2000)

• Peregrine's heart went out to her in that instant, his perceptions quickened by compassion.

  Fiction book (1991)

• But he still fasted the day of the Hunt, insisting that hunger sharpened his senses and quickened his pursuit.

  Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

S

to stimulate

vsto quicken

236 3.7

Make a person or thing more active, alert and responsive

limits that activation to intensifying internal feelings or sensations

T

to thrill

vsto quicken

201 2.1

To give a sudden strong feeling of excitement and pleasure

is about increasing the sharpness of a feeling rather than sudden intense excitement

I

to intensify

vsto quicken

110 4.0

Make something stronger or more intense

focuses specifically on sharpening feelings, desires, or sensations

H

to heighten

vsto quicken

76 4.1

To make a feeling, effect or situation stronger

narrows this to making internal sensations or desires keener

E

to excite

vsto quicken

64 2.7

To make something more active, alert or interested

acts mainly to make a feeling or desire more keen rather than energy

H

to heat up

vsto quicken

57 3.4

To become more intense or make a situation more intense

is focused inward on sharpening personal feelings or desires

S

to stoke

vsto quicken

45 4.6

To encourage strong feelings or interest

focuses more narrowly on intensifying inner sensations or desires

T

to turn up the heat

vsto quicken

26 4.2

Make a situation more urgent to force someone to act

rather increases the keen feeling itself rather than external pressure

E

to electrify

vsto quicken

14 4.1

To make people feel very excited and want to act

tends to be less sudden and more about making feelings keener

W

to whet

vsto quicken

11 8.3

To make appetite or interest stronger

is the same sharpening idea but emphasizes any sensation or feeling

E

to enliven

vsto quicken

6 4.1

Make something more active and interesting

is more specifically about sharpening a feeling or desire intensity

R

to rev up

vsto quicken

• Informal

1 4.6

To make something faster or more active

applies instead to making inner feelings or sensations more keen

S

to set pulses racing

vsto quicken

• Informal

1 6.0

To make someone feel very excited, often suddenly

is broader, covering any increase in keenness, not only sudden excitement

H

to hot up

vsto quicken

• UK

1 7.7

To become more active or exciting in a situation

targets internal sensations and desires rather than external events

E

to enflame

vsto quicken

6.4

To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger

is similar but applies broadly to any keen feeling or sensation

Antonyms

L

to lessen

34 2.8

To make something smaller in amount or strength

D

to dull

33 3.4

Cause something to become less sharp, strong or bright

Phrasal Verbs

H

to heart quicken

1 5.2

To feel your heart beat faster from excitement, fear, or nervous waiting

Q

to quicken the pace

1 3.9

Move or work faster to finish sooner

How Intense

to intensify

110 4.0

to heighten

76 4.1

to quicken

2 5.1

to arouse

57 4.1

to stir

131 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology