quickening Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the process of showing signs of life
    • the quickening of seed that will become ripe grain
  2. noun the stage of pregnancy at which the mother first feels the movements of the fetus
  3. noun the act of accelerating; increasing the speed
    acceleration; speedup.
  4. verb move faster
    speed up; speed; accelerate; quicken.
    • The car accelerated
  5. verb make keen or more acute
    whet; quicken.
    • whet my appetite
  6. verb give life or energy to
    invigorate; quicken.
    • The cold water invigorated him
  7. verb show signs of life
    quicken.
    • the fetus quickened
  8. verb give new life or energy to
    repair; revivify; recreate; reanimate; revive; renovate; vivify; animate; quicken.
    • A hot soup will revive me
    • This will renovate my spirits
    • This treatment repaired my health

WordNet

Quick"en*ing noun
Definitions
  1. The act or process of making or of becoming quick.
  2. (Physiol.) The first motion of the fetus in the womb felt by the mother, occurring usually about the middle of the term of pregnancy. It has been popularly supposed to be due to the fetus becoming possessed of independent life.

Webster 1913