WordWeb Online

1. The process of showing signs of life
   "the quickening of seed that will become ripe grain"
    
2. The stage of pregnancy at which the mother first feels the movements of the foetus
    
3. The act of accelerating; increasing the speed
   - acceleration, speedup

1. Move faster
   "The car quickened";
   - accelerate, speed up, speed
    
2. Make keen or more acute
   "quicken my appetite";
   - whet
    
3. Give life or energy to
   "The cold water quickened him";
   - invigorate
    
4. Show signs of life
   "the foetus quickened"
    
5. Give new life or energy to
   - animate, recreate, reanimate, revive, renovate, repair, vivify, revivify

Derived forms: quickenings

Type of: arouse, biological process, brace, deepen, degree, energise [Brit], energize, excite, hurrying, intensify, level, move, organic process, perk up, phase, phasis, point, speed, speeding, stage, stimulate, stir

Antonym: slow up

Part of: gestation, maternity, pregnancy

Encyclopedia: Quickening