Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being quick or alive; vital power or principle.
  • noun Speed; velocity; celerity; rapidity: as, the quickness of motion.
  • noun Activity; briskness; promptness; readiness: as, the quickness of the imagination or wit.
  • noun Acuteness; keenness; alertness.
  • noun Sharpness; pungency; keenness.
  • noun Synonyms Quickness, Fastness, Speed, Celerity, Swiftness, Fleetness, Rapidity, Velocity, haste, expedition, despatch, alertness, liveliness. Quickness is the generic term. Quickness, fastness, speed, and rapidity may have relation to time only, or to space passed through or over; the others apply only to space. “Swift to hear,” in Jas. i. 19, is a bold figure. Celerity is swift voluntary movement; but we do not ordinarily speak of the movements of an animal as having celerity. Fleetness also is voluntary, and is applied to animals; we may speak by figure of the fleetness of a yacht. The word suggests quickness in getting over the ground by the use of the feet: we speak of the swiftness or rapidity of the swallow's or the pigeon's flight; the fleetness of Atalanta, a hound, a deer. Swiftness is presumably not too great for carefulness or thoroughness; rapidity may be too great for either. Velocity is the attribute of matter in motion; the word is especially a technical term for the rate of movement of matter, whether fast or slow. We speak also of the velocity of sound or light. Rapidity has less suggestion of personality than any of the others, except velocity. See nimble.
  • noun Dexterity, adroitness, expertness, facility, knack.
  • noun Penetration.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete The condition or quality of being quick or living; life.
  • noun Activity; briskness; especially, rapidity of motion; speed; celerity.
  • noun Acuteness of perception; keen sensibility.
  • noun Sharpness; pungency of taste.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun rapidity of movement or activity; agility or dexterity

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun intelligence as revealed by an ability to give correct responses without delay
  • noun skillful performance or ability without difficulty
  • noun a rate that is rapid

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

quick +‎ -ness

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Examples

  • [John Wall's] quickness is the kind that embarrasses defenders and that allows him to cover ground like few players in the league.

    John Wall makes like Darrell Green Dan Steinberg 2010

  • There's no debate McCoy, compared to Warren Sapp because of his quickness, is a great fit for the rebuilding Bucs defense.

    NFL draft grades: Raiders finally have a reason to believe 2010

  • "His quickness is very much good enough to do what we want to do defensively," Brown said.

    Darnell Carter 'becoming a big part' of Virginia defense Steve Yanda 2010

  • The moment that followed was like the scream heard round the stables: piercing in quickness and surreal in scope.

    French Word-A-Day: 2008

  • The moment that followed was like the scream heard round the stables: piercing in quickness and surreal in scope.

    cravacher - French Word-A-Day 2008

  • The moment that followed was like the scream heard round the stables: piercing in quickness and surreal in scope.

    French Word-A-Day: 2008

  • Asked about Bosh before the game, Bucks coach Larry Krystowiak said the Toronto forward's combination of size and quickness is ` ` not ordinary. ''

    USATODAY.com 2007

  • Milicic has solid quickness, is tough and is fundamentally sound.

    USATODAY.com 2006

  • Has good leg strength and adequate quickness from the snap to the kick ...

    USATODAY.com 2005

  • Lunge-and-grab tackler who despite his quickness, is better covering in the short area than on deep routes ...

    USATODAY.com 2005

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