double-quickadj.n.adv.
A. adj. Military.
Applied to the quickest step next to the run; = double adj.1 4c. Hence gen. Very rapid or hurried.
ΚΠ
1822 G. W. Manby Voy. Greenland (1823) 59 I singled out one [seal] that was marching away in double quick time.
1918 Blackwood's Mag. Mar. 293 Down go his hands on the joystick in double-quick time.
B. n.
Double-quick pace or time; = double n. 3i; also gen. at the double-quick: very quickly or hastily.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swiftly [phrase]
on fastec1275
as greyhound (let out) of leasha1300
a good (also great, etc.) shake13..
in hastec1300
(wiþ) gret yre13..
in speeda1325
good speeda1400
on (also upon) the wing or one's wing1508
with post1569
on or upon the speed1632
on the run?1679
by the run1787
like a house on fire (also afire)1809
at the double-quick1834
with a run1834
fast and furious1851
at the double1860
at the rate of knots1892
for (or on) the (high) jump1905
like blue murder1914
1834 T. Medwin Angler in Wales II. 41 It was necessary to move on at double-quick.
1883 Harper's Mag. Sept. 553/1 His men were proceeding at the double-quick.
C. adv.
In double-quick time. In the U.S. army, according to the Cent. Dict., double-quick time consisted of 165 steps of 33 inches (= 453¾ ft.) to the minute, which was identical with the ‘double time’ in force c1896 in the British Army. According to Funk & Wagnall the term has been superseded by ‘double time’: see double time n. and adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adjective] > very
seven-leagued1747
ripping1826
seven-league-booted1828
splitting1829
lightning1832
high-speed1844
double-quick1860
mile-a-minute1883
express1897
jet-propelled1947
supersonic1947
light speed1987
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adverb] > very
double-quick1860
meteorically1865
1860 C. Reade Cloister & Hearth III. 229 He took a candle and lighted it, and turned it down..till it burned his fingers; when he dropped it double quick.
1959 J. Braine Vodi xix. 223 If we were married and I made just one mistake in business..she'd be off double-quick.
Derivatives
double-ˈquick v. (transitive and intransitive) to march, or cause to march, at double-quick. (U.S.)
ΚΠ
1863 Life in South II. 294 How they marched..and marched again; and ‘double quicked’, they called it; thirty miles a day.
1888 Cent. Mag. XXXV. 962 Berry double-quicked his men to the point, but was too late.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
<
adj.n.adv.1822