quickened

Quickened is the past participle of the verb quicken. In standard modern English, quicken means to make alive or to cause something to become more energetic, or to hasten. The adjective quick, historically used in English, meant alive. Therefore, quickened can refer to something that was enlivened or accelerated, or, in older texts, to something that was brought to life.

Etymology and sense: The word derives from Old English and Middle English forms related to cwic, meaning alive. Over time, quicken broadened from reviving or animating to include increasing speed or intensity. In literary and religious contexts, quicken often carries a sense of imparting life or vitality.

Uses: General usage includes descriptions such as a heart quickened by fear or exertion, or a pace that quickened with momentum. In obstetrics, the term quickening refers to the first perceived fetal movements by the pregnant person, traditionally occurring around the midpoint of pregnancy (roughly weeks 16–25, earlier in later pregnancies). The phrase “the quickening” remains a historic or literary way to refer to that milestone.

In literature and religion, quicken is used figuratively to denote bringing energy or life to something—“to quicken the imagination” or “the wind quickened the sails.” The phrase the quick and the dead embodies the sense of being alive, with quick serving as a synonym for living.

Modern usage is largely poetic or historical; quickened tends to appear in older texts, religious discourse, or formal writing, while contemporary speech more often uses alternatives like awaken, stimulate, or accelerate.