Definition of "quick"

The bishop was somewhat quick with them, and signified that he was much offended.

1549, Hugh Latimer, The Sixth Sermon Preached Before King Edward, April 6 1549

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who ſhall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdome:

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], 2 Timothy 4:1, column 2

Man is no star, but a quick coal / Of mortal fire.

1633, George Herbert, The Temple

The inmost oratory of my soul,Wherein thou ever dwellest quick or dead,Is black with grief eternal for thy sake.

1874, James Thomson, The City of Dreadful Night, section X

she's quick; the child brags in her belly already: tis yours

c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]

Whoever does any act under such circumstances that if he thereby caused death he would be guilty of culpable homicide, and does by such act cause the death of a quick unborn child, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 316, Penal Code (Cap. 224, 2008 Ed.) (Singapore)

When sentenced she sought to avoid hanging by declaring herself with child – ironically, given her favourite deception – but a ‘jury of Matrons’ found her not quick.

2012, Jerry White, London in the Eighteenth Century, Bodley Head, published 2017, page 385

[…] the ayre is quicke there, / And it perces and ſharpens the ſtomacke,

c. 1607–1608, William Shakeſpeare, The Late, And much admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: Imprinted at London for Henry Goſſon, […], published 1609, [Act IV, scene i]

If we consider how very quick the actions of the mind are performed.

1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […]

Quick, how do you spell 'Krabs'?

2006, SpongeBob SquarePants, Whale of a Birthday

The works […] are curiously hedged with quick.

1641, John Evelyn, diary entry September 1641

This test nippeth, […] this toucheth the quick.

1550, Hugh Latimer, Sermon Preached at Stamford, 9 October 1550

How feebly and unlike themselves they reason when they come to the quick of the difference!The spelling has been modernized.

1655, Thomas Fuller, edited by James Nichols, The Church History of Britain, […], new edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [James Nichols] for Thomas Tegg and Son, […], published 1837

Wild bird, whose warble, liquid sweet, Rings Eden thro' the budded quicks

1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], canto LXXXVIII

I rose as if quicked by a spur I was bound to obey.

1917', Thomas Hardy, At the Word 'Farewell