quickest

1. 1
   adjective

   Superlative of quick.

   The cheetah is the quickest land animal over short distances.

   He chose the quickest route through the mountains to save time.

   Note

   The ending carries every adjective sense of quick, not only speed. The quickest runner moves fastest, the quickest route takes the least time, the quickest wit thinks fastest, and the quickest temper flares soonest. The form one step down is quicker, and the -est ending is the usual choice over most quick.

2. 2
   adverb

   Superlative of quick.

   Of all the sprinters, she accelerated quickest off the starting blocks.

   The driver who reacts quickest usually avoids the collision.

   Note

   The same spelling does adverb work, ranking how an action is done rather than what a thing is: whoever reacts quickest, the one who learns quickest. It follows the verb, just as quick does when it stands in for quickly. Most quickly, built on quickly, is the longer alternative. In form it is identical to the adjective's superlative, and only its position after a verb tells them apart.

Showing meanings only. Show all 2