quicken
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Synonym of couch grass.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kwikuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈkwɪkən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
chiefly midlands (northern
Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland) Synonym of couch grass ("a species of grass, Elymus repens"); also (chiefly in the plural), the underground rhizomes of this, and sometimes other grasses.
verb
transitive
To put (someone or something) in a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to excite, to rouse.
transitive
To inspire or stimulate (an action, a feeling, etc.).
transitive
To stimulate or assist the fermentation of (an alcoholic beverage, dough, etc.).
Give new life or energy to
intransitive
To take on a state of activity or vigour comparable to life; to be excited or roused.
transitiveliteraryalso figuratively
To give life to (someone or something never alive or once dead); to animate, to resurrect, to revive.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Northern England, Northern Ireland, Scotland) Synonym of couch grass ("a species of grass, Elymus repens"); also (chiefly in the plural), the underground rhizomes of this, and sometimes other grasses.
Used this way, quicken is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a scientific use: it names something precisely within a field of study, so it appears in research and teaching more than in conversation.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Science
- Academic writing
- Technical/specialist writing
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: northern England or Northern Ireland
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “quicken” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.