[quick.en] vb quick.ened ; quick.en.ing vt (14c) 1 a: to make alive: revive b: to cause to be enlivened: stimulate
2. archaic a: kindle b: to cause to burn more intensely
3: to make more rapid: hasten, accelerate "~ed her steps"
4. a: to make (a curve) sharper b: to make (a slope) steeper ~ vi 1: to quicken something
2: to come to life; esp: to enter into a phase of active growth and development "seeds ~ing in the soil"
3: to reach the stage of gestation at which fetal motion is felt
4: to shine more brightly "watched the dawn ~ing in the east"
5: to become more rapid "her pulse ~ed at the sight" -- quick.en.er n syn quicken, animate, enliven, vivify mean to make alive or lively. quicken stresses a sudden renewal of life or activity esp. in something inert "the arrival of spring quickens the earth". animate emphasizes the imparting of motion or vitality to what is or might be mechanical or artificial "happiness animated his conversation". enliven suggests a stimulus that arouses from dullness or torpidity "enlivened her lectures with humorous anecdotes". vivify implies a freshening or energizing through renewal of vitality "new blood needed to vivify the dying club". syn see in addition provoke