quick ‧ en /ˈkwɪkən/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . written to become quicker or make something quicker:
Ray glanced at his watch and quickened his pace (=began to walk faster) .
Companies are finding it hard to cope with the quickening pace of technological change.
your heart/pulse/breathing quickens (=your heart beats faster because you are afraid, excited etc)
She caught sight of Rob and felt her heart quicken.
2 . formal if a feeling quickens, or if something quickens it, it becomes stronger or more active SYN increase :
This policy served only to quicken anti-government feeling.