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Glite Dictionary
quick time

quick time

1 5.9
A normal marching speed of 120 steps per minute used in military drill
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : tiempo rápido
  • Do you know how to march in quick time?

Examples

  • The drill sergeant instructed the recruits to march at quick time to maintain pace.

  • After the command, the platoon shifted from quick time to double time without missing a beat.

  • During the ceremony, cadets proceeded in quick time, demonstrating their discipline and training.

  • The soldiers marched in quick time across the parade ground, keeping perfect rhythm.

  • The soldiers marched in quick time during the parade.

  • During the ceremony, they were required to move in quick time to keep the formation precise.

  • The soldiers practiced their routines, ensuring they could perform in quick time when needed.

Synonyms

fast pace
vsquick time
10 2.5

A speed that is quicker than usual for a task or activity

refers to a precise 120 steps per minute military pace rather than general speed
quick march
vsquick time
  • UK
1 5.1

A marching pace faster than walking and slower than running at about 120 steps per minute

is the traditional military term for the same exact pace

Surface Forms

quick time singular
quick times plural

Morphology

quick + time

A learner who knows 'quick' and 'time' can reasonably infer a general meaning of a faster tempo or pace (i.e., 'fast time'), so the basic idea is partly compositional. However, the specific military sense (the conventional marching pace of 120 steps per minute) and its technical conventionality are not predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires exposure.

Etymology

The noun quick time comes from army marching: soldiers walked together at a steady beat of about 120 steps a minute. The word quick shows a brisk regular time or beat for marching, so quick time means the normal marching pace.