quickness

Everyday

1. Being fast in movement: «the quickness of a cat». tree →
2. Being clever and fast in thinking or understanding: «quickness of mind». tree →
3. Being easily stirred, especially to anger: «quickness of temper». tree →
4. Being quick to notice things with your eyes or ears. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and stories it describes speed and reflexes; in school, quickness of mind helps with mental maths; in describing people, «quickness of temper» means getting angry fast. Phrases: «quickness of mind», «quickness of hand», «with great quickness».

Examples

• The goalkeeper's quickness saved the penalty. tree →
• Her quickness at mental maths amazed the class. tree →
• The magician's quickness of hand fooled us all. tree →
• A cheetah's quickness helps it catch prey. tree →
• His quickness of temper got him into trouble. tree →
• Quickness is useful, but checking your answers matters too. tree →
• They had also bestowed on him the power of changing his shape, and had increased the quickness of his eyes and ears so that nothing escaped him. tree →

Note

Uncountable: no plural. Related: quick, quickly, quicken. In everyday talk «speed» is more common; «quickness» often describes a person's skill. «The quick and the dead» is an old Bible phrase where «quick» means «living».