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A1 noun #1,164 가장 일반적인 13분 분량

quick

상위 1,164

연습하기 예시 노트와 팁 quick 30초 만에

설명 quick in your Level:

At the A1 level, you are learning basic words for body parts and simple feelings. You probably know the word 'quick' means 'fast'. For example, 'a quick car' or 'a quick runner'. But 'quick' can also be a noun, which is a naming word. As a noun, the quick is the very soft, pink skin under your fingernails and toenails. If you cut your nails with scissors and you cut them too short, it hurts a lot and might bleed. That part that hurts is called the quick. It is important to know this word if you have a pet dog or cat. When you cut your pet's nails, you must be careful not to cut the quick, because it will hurt the animal. We also use this word to talk about feelings. If someone says something very mean to you, and it makes you feel very sad inside, you can say their words 'cut you to the quick'. This means the words hurt your feelings as much as cutting your nail too short hurts your finger. It is a big pain inside your heart. You will always see the word 'the' before it. We say 'the quick', never 'a quick'. Remember, 'quick' is usually an adjective meaning fast, but when it is a noun, it means the sensitive part under the nail or the sensitive part of your feelings.

At the A2 level, you can understand more details about everyday life, health, and emotions. You already know that 'quick' usually describes speed, like 'a quick meal'. However, as a noun, 'the quick' is a specific body part. It is the living, sensitive skin right underneath your hard fingernails and toenails. When you go to a salon to get your nails done, or when you are clipping your nails at home, you have to be careful. If you clip too deep, you will hit the quick. This causes a sharp pain and bleeding because there are nerves and blood vessels there. People who work with animals, like veterinarians and pet groomers, use this word every day. They have to look closely at a dog's claws to find the quick before they cut. Besides the physical meaning, we use 'the quick' to talk about deep emotional hurt. There is a common phrase: 'cut to the quick'. If your friend tells a secret you asked them to keep, you might feel deeply betrayed and sad. You can say, 'Her betrayal cut me to the quick.' It means the emotional pain went very deep, past your normal defenses, straight to your heart. It is a very strong way to say 'my feelings were hurt badly'. You should use this phrase only when the sadness or insult is very serious, not for small problems.

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At the B1 level, you are ready to explore idioms and words with multiple meanings. The noun 'quick' is a perfect example. Literally, the quick is the highly sensitive flesh beneath the nail plate on your fingers and toes. It contains blood vessels and nerve endings. If you bite your nails nervously, you might bite them 'down to the quick', leaving your fingers sore and bleeding. This literal meaning is essential vocabulary for personal grooming and pet care. However, the figurative meaning is much more common in general conversation and media. The idiom 'cut to the quick' means to deeply wound someone emotionally. Imagine your boss criticizes your work in front of the whole office, calling you lazy. That insult would likely bypass your professional exterior and hurt your core self-esteem. You would be 'cut to the quick'. The metaphor is powerful because it compares emotional vulnerability to the physical vulnerability of the sensitive skin under a nail. It implies that the protective layer (the hard nail, or your emotional shield) has been breached. You might also hear the phrase 'touch the quick', which means to reach the most important or sensitive part of an issue. Understanding this noun helps you express profound emotional states and comprehend dramatic situations in books and movies.

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At the B2 level, your vocabulary expands to include nuanced metaphorical language and specialized terms. The noun 'quick' represents the living, innervated tissue beneath the keratin of a nail. In veterinary and podiatric contexts, avoiding the quick is a primary concern during nail trimming to prevent hemorrhage and pain. This anatomical reality serves as the foundation for a potent emotional metaphor. To be 'cut to the quick' is to experience a profound psychological injury. It denotes an insult or realization that penetrates one's emotional armor and strikes at the very core of their identity or self-worth. For instance, a dedicated artist reading a devastatingly cruel review of their life's work might be cut to the quick. The phrase emphasizes the depth and sharpness of the emotional pain. Furthermore, you will encounter the word in literary contexts describing the essence of a matter. A brilliant philosophical argument might 'touch the quick' of human existence, meaning it addresses the most vital, sensitive, and central aspect of the topic. It is also worth noting the archaic usage of 'the quick' to mean 'the living', which survives almost exclusively in the fixed religious phrase 'the quick and the dead'. Mastering these varied applications allows you to read classic literature and engage in sophisticated emotional discourse with precision.

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At the C1 level, you are expected to navigate complex idioms, historical linguistic shifts, and subtle emotional registers. The noun 'quick' is an exemplary study in semantic evolution. Originating from the Old English 'cwic', meaning 'living' or 'alive', the word's primary noun form originally referred to living beings, a usage preserved in the liturgical phrase 'the quick and the dead'. Over time, the meaning narrowed anatomically to denote the highly vascularized and innervated tissue beneath the nail bed—the 'living' flesh as opposed to the 'dead' keratin of the nail itself. This literal definition birthed the powerful idiom 'cut to the quick', which is indispensable in advanced English for articulating profound emotional or psychological trauma. When a person is cut to the quick, the injury is not superficial; it is an existential affront that pierces their psychological defenses. You will frequently encounter this in high-level journalism, literary criticism, and dramatic prose. For example, a political commentator might describe a leader who, despite a stoic facade, was cut to the quick by a trusted ally's defection. The term implies a raw, exposed vulnerability. Additionally, 'the quick' can represent the absolute essence or most sensitive crux of an intellectual argument or societal issue. Utilizing this word demonstrates a native-like command of metaphorical extension and historical resonance.

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At the C2 level, your mastery of English involves a deep appreciation for etymology, archaic survivals, and the precise calibration of emotional expression. The noun 'quick' offers a profound intersection of all three. Etymologically rooted in the Proto-Indo-European *gwei- (to live), its earliest English iterations denoted vitality and life itself. The fossilized phrase 'the quick and the dead' is a linguistic relic, maintaining this original definition in modern liturgy and elevated literary allusions. The anatomical specification—the sensitive, vascular matrix beneath the nail—serves as a visceral synecdoche for vulnerability. To be 'cut to the quick' or 'stung to the quick' is to experience an emotional laceration that bypasses the calloused exterior of social conditioning and strikes the raw, unmediated self. It is a phrase reserved for ultimate betrayals, devastating epiphanies, or critiques that dismantle one's foundational ego. In sophisticated discourse, one might also speak of an author's ability to 'probe the quick' of a societal malaise, indicating an incisive analysis that reaches the most sensitive, vital, and often painful core of an issue. The C2 learner understands that deploying 'the quick' as a noun is not merely a vocabulary choice, but an invocation of the profound connection between physical vitality, anatomical vulnerability, and psychological fragility, enriching the text with layers of historical and metaphorical depth.

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연습하기 예시 노트와 팁

quick 30초 만에

The sensitive skin under nails.
The deepest part of feelings.
Used in 'cut to the quick'.
Historically means 'the living'.

The word quick, when used as a noun, is a fascinating and highly specific term in the English language that carries both a literal and a deeply figurative meaning. Literally, the quick refers to the extremely sensitive flesh or living tissue that is located immediately beneath a fingernail or a toenail. If you have ever trimmed your nails too closely and experienced a sharp, sudden pain accompanied by a small amount of bleeding, you have cut into the quick. This area is packed with nerve endings and blood vessels, making it incredibly responsive to touch and highly susceptible to pain. Understanding this literal definition is essential because it forms the foundation for the word's metaphorical usage.

Literal Definition: The living, sensitive flesh under the nail.

When trimming the dog's claws, be extremely careful not to cut into the quick.

Beyond the anatomy of fingers and toes, the noun quick is frequently employed to describe the most central, sensitive, or vulnerable part of a person's emotions, feelings, or psychological state. When someone makes a deeply insulting remark or a profound criticism that hurts you on a fundamental level, you might say that their words cut you to the quick. This means the emotional pain was not superficial; it bypassed your defenses and struck your core, much like a physical cut that goes past the dead keratin of the nail and hits the living nerve.

Figurative Definition: The deepest and most vulnerable part of someone's emotional state.

Her harsh criticism about his life choices cut him to the quick.

People use this word in everyday situations, particularly in grooming and veterinary contexts. Pet owners and groomers constantly talk about the quick when discussing how to safely clip the nails of dogs, cats, and birds. Because the quick contains the blood supply, cutting it causes bleeding that can be difficult to stop, which is why styptic powder is often kept nearby.

The veterinarian showed me how to identify the pink quick inside the translucent claw.

In literature, journalism, and serious conversations, the figurative use is highly prevalent. You will often read about politicians being cut to the quick by betrayal, or artists whose souls are exposed to the quick. It conveys a level of profound injury that words like 'hurt' or 'offended' simply cannot capture.

Historical Context: Historically, the word meant 'living persons', as seen in the archaic phrase 'the quick and the dead'.

The ancient text spoke of the final judgment of both the quick and the dead.

Furthermore, understanding the noun form of quick enriches your overall vocabulary by connecting physical sensations to emotional experiences. The transition from physical pain to emotional devastation is a common linguistic pattern, but few words execute this transition as elegantly and sharply as this one. Whether you are at a nail salon enduring a painful manicure mistake, or in a therapist's office discussing childhood trauma that still feels raw, you are dealing with the quick.

The manicurist apologized profusely after her tools accidentally nipped the quick.

Mastering this word elevates your English from basic proficiency to a more nuanced, native-like fluency, allowing you to express deep emotional resonance and precise anatomical descriptions with equal ease.

Using the noun quick correctly in sentences requires an understanding of its specific collocations and grammatical structures. Because it refers to a specific, unique part of the body or a specific depth of emotion, it is almost exclusively used as a singular noun preceded by the definite article 'the'. You will rarely, if ever, see it pluralized as 'quicks' in this context, nor will you see it used with the indefinite article 'a'.

Grammar Rule: Always use the definite article 'the' before the noun form.

He bit his fingernails right down to the quick because he was so nervous about the exam.

When talking about physical nails, the most common verbs used with the quick are 'cut', 'bite', 'trim', 'clip', and 'nip'. The structure is usually 'verb + to the quick' or 'verb + into the quick'. For example, if someone has a bad habit of biting their nails, you describe the extent of the biting by referencing this sensitive area.

Physical Usage: Describing damage or proximity to the sensitive nail bed.

If you clip the bird's claws too short, you will hit the quick and cause bleeding.

In emotional contexts, the phrase 'cut to the quick' is an established idiom. The subject of the sentence is usually the thing that caused the emotional pain—such as an insult, a betrayal, a harsh truth, or a critical remark. The object is the person who is feeling the pain.

The realization that her best friend had been lying to her for years cut her to the quick.

You can also use it in a passive construction, which is very common in literature and formal writing. In this case, the person experiencing the pain becomes the subject.

Passive Construction: Focusing on the person who received the emotional injury.

He was deeply hurt and felt cut to the quick by his father's obvious disappointment.

Another less common but highly expressive way to use the word is to describe something that touches the core of an issue or a person's soul. You might read about a piece of music or a poignant story that 'touches the quick' of human experience. This usage emphasizes sensitivity and profound depth rather than just pain.

The tragic documentary touched the very quick of the audience's empathy.

By mastering these sentence patterns, you ensure that your usage of this advanced vocabulary word sounds natural and sophisticated. Remember to pay attention to the prepositions 'to' and 'into', and always pair the noun with the definite article 'the' to maintain grammatical accuracy and idiomatic flow.

You might assume that a word with such specific anatomical and literary meanings would be rare, but the noun quick appears frequently in several distinct environments. The most common everyday setting where you will hear this word is in veterinary clinics, pet grooming salons, and among pet owners. When discussing the maintenance of an animal's hygiene, particularly dogs, cats, rabbits, and birds, nail trimming is a standard procedure. Because animals have claws where the blood vessel extends far down, professionals constantly warn about the dangers of cutting the quick.

Veterinary Context: Used constantly by professionals who trim animal claws to avoid causing bleeding.

The groomer explained that black dog nails are difficult to trim because you cannot easily see the quick.

Similarly, in human beauty and personal care, manicurists and podiatrists use the term. If you visit a nail salon and the technician is overly aggressive with the cuticle nippers or the nail file, they might accidentally damage the living tissue. You will hear them apologize for hitting the quick. People who suffer from anxiety and have a habit of severe nail-biting (onychophagia) will often describe their own fingers as being bitten down to the quick, expressing the physical pain that accompanies their nervous habit.

Personal Care: Referencing the painful result of cutting human nails or cuticles too short.

My fingers were sore for days after I accidentally tore my thumbnail down to the quick.

Beyond the physical realm, you will encounter the figurative use of the word in dramatic literature, emotional journalism, and intense personal conversations. Novelists use the phrase 'cut to the quick' to show a character's profound emotional devastation without needing to write paragraphs explaining their sadness. It is a highly efficient way to communicate severe psychological impact.

The protagonist was cut to the quick when she read the secret letters detailing her husband's infidelity.

You will also hear it in political commentary or debates. Pundits might describe a politician who has been deeply offended by a rival's personal attack as being cut to the quick. It signifies that the attack bypassed professional boundaries and struck a personal, sensitive nerve.

Media and Literature: Used by writers and commentators to describe severe emotional or reputational damage.

The sharp satirical article cut the arrogant mayor to the quick, prompting an angry public response.

Finally, in religious or historical contexts, you might hear the archaic phrase 'the quick and the dead'. This is most commonly found in Christian liturgy, specifically the Apostles' Creed, which states that Jesus will return to judge 'the quick and the dead'. Here, the word simply means 'the living'. While you will not use this in casual conversation, recognizing it is crucial for understanding historical texts, religious ceremonies, and classic literature.

The old graveyard monument bore an inscription dedicating the grounds to both the quick and the dead.

When learners encounter the word quick, they almost universally associate it with the adjective meaning 'fast' or 'rapid'. This creates significant confusion when they suddenly see it used as a noun in a sentence about fingernails or emotional pain. The most common mistake is failing to recognize the part of speech and trying to interpret the sentence using the concept of speed.

Part of Speech Confusion: Mistaking the noun for the adjective and misunderstanding the entire sentence.

Incorrect thought: 'Cut to the quick' means to cut something very fast.

Another frequent error involves the idiom 'cut to the quick'. Learners sometimes try to substitute the verb 'cut' with synonyms like 'slice', 'chop', or 'hurt'. Idioms are fixed expressions in English, and altering the verb destroys the recognized phrase. You must use 'cut' to sound natural.

Altering Fixed Idioms: Changing the specific words within the traditional idiomatic phrase.

Incorrect: His mean words sliced me to the quick. Correct: His mean words cut me to the quick.

Grammatically, a common mistake is omitting the definite article 'the'. Because the quick refers to a specific, unique area of anatomy or a specific depth of emotion, it requires 'the'. Saying 'I cut down to quick' sounds entirely wrong to a native speaker.

Make sure you do not trim the nail into the quick.

Additionally, learners sometimes pluralize the word when talking about multiple fingers or multiple people's emotions. Even if you are talking about all ten of your fingernails, you still refer to the sensitive area collectively as 'the quick'. You do not say 'I bit my nails down to the quicks'.

Improper Pluralization: Adding an 's' to the end of the word in this specific context.

Incorrect: The dogs' quicks were bleeding. Correct: The dogs' nails were cut down to the quick.

Finally, there is a risk of overusing the phrase 'cut to the quick' for minor annoyances. This idiom carries a heavy emotional weight. If someone forgets to hold the door open for you, you are not cut to the quick; you are merely annoyed. Reserve this powerful expression for situations involving deep betrayal, severe insults, or profound emotional trauma. Using it for trivial matters makes the speaker sound overly dramatic or indicates a lack of understanding of the word's true intensity.

When her trusted business partner stole her life savings, she was truly cut to the quick.

When exploring alternatives to the noun quick, it is important to divide the synonyms into two categories: those that relate to the literal anatomical meaning, and those that relate to the figurative emotional meaning. For the literal meaning, the vocabulary is quite clinical. The most accurate anatomical alternative is 'nail bed'. The nail bed is the skin beneath the hard nail plate. While 'nail bed' is scientifically precise, it lacks the visceral, pain-associated connotation of the quick.

Anatomical Alternative: Nail bed: The specialized skin structure that lies beneath the fingernail or toenail.

The doctor examined the damaged nail bed to ensure no infection had reached the quick.

Another related literal term is 'flesh', specifically 'living flesh' or 'sensitive flesh'. When you say someone cut into the quick, you are essentially saying they cut into the living flesh. However, 'flesh' is a broad term that applies to the entire body, whereas the quick is hyper-specific to the area under the nails.

The sharp blade bypassed the dead keratin and sliced directly into the tender quick.

Moving to the figurative meaning, the alternatives are much richer. When describing the deepest part of someone's emotions, you can use words like 'core', 'heart', 'soul', or 'essence'. If an insult cuts you to the quick, it cuts you to your core. 'Core' is an excellent, everyday alternative that is easily understood by all English speakers.

Emotional Alternative: Core: The central, innermost, or most essential part of a person's being.

The cruel accusation shook him to his core, much like being cut to the quick.

For the specific idiom 'cut to the quick', alternative phrases include 'deeply hurt', 'wounded to the soul', 'devastated', or 'struck a nerve'. 'Struck a nerve' is a particularly good parallel because, like the quick, it uses the metaphor of physical anatomy (a sensitive nerve) to describe emotional pain. If a comment strikes a nerve, it provokes a strong, usually negative, emotional reaction because it touches on a sensitive subject.

Idiomatic Alternative: Strike a nerve: To mention a sensitive topic that causes someone to feel upset or angry.

Her joke about his recent job loss definitely struck a nerve, cutting him to the quick.

Finally, for the archaic meaning of 'the living' (as in 'the quick and the dead'), the direct alternative is simply 'the living'. Modern translations of ancient texts or prayers often replace 'the quick' with 'the living' to ensure contemporary audiences understand the meaning without needing a historical dictionary.

The modern pastor preached about the judgment of the living and the dead, rather than the quick and the dead.

How Formal Is It?

격식체

"The board's decision to terminate his contract without cause cut the executive to the quick."

중립

"Be careful when trimming the cat's claws so you don't hit the quick."

비격식체

"Man, her comment about my outfit really cut me to the quick."

Child friendly

"Don't bite your nails down to the quick, or your fingers will get an ouchie!"

속어

"That roast was brutal, bro. He got cut straight to the quick."

재미있는 사실

Because 'quick' originally meant 'alive', the word 'quicksand' literally translates to 'living sand'—sand that moves and shifts as if it has a life of its own. Similarly, 'quicksilver' is the old name for mercury, a metal that is liquid and moves rapidly, appearing 'alive'.

발음 가이드

UK /kwɪk/

US /kwɪk/

The word is a single syllable, so the entire word carries the primary stress.

라임이 맞는 단어

brick click flick kick lick pick sick stick thick trick wick

자주 하는 실수

Pronouncing the 'qu' as a simple /k/ sound (saying 'kick' instead of 'quick').
Lengthening the vowel sound to /i:/ (saying 'queek').
Dropping the final /k/ sound, making it sound like 'qui'.
Confusing the vowel with the /e/ sound (saying 'queck').
Over-aspirating the initial /k/ sound in the 'qu' blend.

난이도

독해 7/5

Encountering 'the quick' in classic literature can confuse learners who only know the adjective form.

쓰기 8/5

Using the idiom correctly requires precise preposition usage ('to' or 'into') and appropriate emotional context.

말하기 6/5

Relatively easy to pronounce, but learners rarely use it in spontaneous speech unless discussing pet care.

듣기 7/5

Because it sounds exactly like the common adjective, learners must rely entirely on context clues to realize it is a noun.

다음에 무엇을 배울까

선수 학습

nail cut sensitive hurt deep

다음에 배울 것

core vulnerable betrayal cuticle idiom

고급

innervated vascular synecdoche lacerate existential

알아야 할 문법

Definite Article with Unique Nouns

Because 'the quick' refers to a specific, unique concept (the singular core of emotion or specific nail bed), it requires 'the'.

Fixed Prepositions in Idioms

The idiom is strictly 'cut TO the quick'. You cannot say 'cut AT the quick' or 'cut FOR the quick'.

Passive Voice for Emotional States

'He was cut to the quick' is a passive construction focusing on the receiver of the emotional pain.

Uncountable Nouns

When referring to the sensitive tissue in general, 'quick' is uncountable. 'Do not cut into the quick.'

Noun vs. Adjective Identification

Identify 'quick' as a noun when it follows an article ('the') or a preposition ('to', 'into').

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수준별 예문

I cut my nail and hit the quick.

I cut my nail and hit the sensitive part.

Use 'the' before 'quick'.

The quick under my nail hurts today.

The sensitive skin under my nail hurts today.

'The quick' is the subject of the sentence.

Do not cut the dog's nails to the quick.

Do not cut the dog's nails to the sensitive pink part.

Use the preposition 'to' before 'the quick'.

Her mean words cut me to the quick.

Her mean words hurt my feelings very deeply.

This is a common idiom for hurt feelings.

He bit his fingernail down to the quick.

He bit his fingernail down to the soft skin.

'Down to' shows how far he bit.

The pink part of the nail is the quick.

The pink part of the nail is the sensitive skin.

Used as a definition in a simple sentence.

My finger is bleeding from the quick.

My finger is bleeding from the sensitive part under the nail.

'From' indicates the source of the bleeding.

His sad story cut her to the quick.

His sad story made her feel very sad inside.

The idiom used with a story causing the emotion.

The groomer accidentally cut the dog's nail into the quick.

The pet worker cut the nail into the sensitive part.

'Into' shows the direction of the cut.

When you trim your nails, stop before you reach the quick.

When you cut your nails, stop before the sensitive skin.

'Reach' is a good verb to use with 'the quick'.

She was cut to the quick when her friend lied to her.

She was deeply hurt when her friend lied.

Passive voice: 'was cut to the quick'.

I can see the quick because my nails are clear.

I can see the pink part because my nails are see-through.

Simple present tense observation.

Biting your nails to the quick is a bad habit.

Biting nails to the sensitive skin is bad.

Using a gerund phrase as the subject.

The harsh review of his restaurant cut the chef to the quick.

The bad review hurt the chef's feelings deeply.

Subject is 'the harsh review'.

You need special powder to stop the quick from bleeding.

You need powder to stop the sensitive part from bleeding.

'Stop [noun] from [verb-ing]' structure.

He felt cut to the quick by her angry email.

He felt deeply hurt by her angry email.

'Felt cut to the quick' describes an emotional state.

The veterinarian explained how to identify the quick in black dog claws.

The vet showed how to find the sensitive part in dark nails.

'Identify' pairs well with finding the anatomical quick.

Her father's obvious disappointment cut her to the quick.

Her father's disappointment hurt her deeply.

Abstract noun 'disappointment' as the subject.

If you damage the quick, it can take a long time to heal properly.

If you hurt the nail bed, it heals slowly.

Conditional sentence (If... then).

The comedian's joke was too personal and cut the actor to the quick.

The joke was too mean and deeply offended the actor.

Compound sentence explaining cause and effect.

She chewed her thumbnails down to the quick during the scary movie.

She bit her nails to the sensitive flesh because she was scared.

Adding context ('during the scary movie') to the action.

The documentary touched the quick of the city's poverty problem.

The film reached the most sensitive core of the poverty issue.

Using 'touched the quick' to mean reaching the core issue.

He tried to hide his feelings, but the insult had cut him to the quick.

He hid his sadness, but the insult hurt him deeply.

Past perfect tense ('had cut').

Applying styptic powder to the exposed quick will stop the bleeding instantly.

Putting powder on the open sensitive skin stops bleeding fast.

'Exposed quick' means the sensitive part is no longer protected.

The politician was cut to the quick by the allegations of corruption from his closest ally.

The politician was deeply wounded by the betrayal.

Passive voice with complex prepositional phrases.

Onychophagia, or severe nail-biting, often results in the quick being chronically exposed and inflamed.

Severe nail biting leaves the sensitive nail bed open and red.

Scientific vocabulary mixed with the target word.

The author's poignant memoir touches the quick of the human experience with grief.

The book reaches the deepest, most sensitive part of human sadness.

'Touches the quick' used metaphorically for profound resonance.

Despite her tough exterior, the casual dismissal of her artwork cut her to the quick.

Even though she acts tough, the rejection of her art hurt her deeply.

Contrast clause ('Despite...') highlighting the vulnerability.

When trimming avian talons, precision is paramount to avoid severing the vascular quick.

When cutting bird claws, you must be careful not to cut the blood vessel.

Formal vocabulary ('avian talons', 'paramount', 'vascular').

The realization that his life's work was based on a flawed premise stung him to the quick.

Realizing his work was wrong hurt him to his core.

Using 'stung' instead of 'cut' for variation in the idiom.

The old cemetery gates bore an inscription dedicating the grounds to the quick and the dead.

The gates had writing for the living and the dead.

Archaic usage meaning 'the living'.

The therapist gently guided the conversation, careful not to probe the quick of his childhood trauma too soon.

The therapist was careful not to touch the most painful part of his past.

'Probe the quick' meaning to investigate a sensitive emotional area.

The devastating critique in the literary journal cut the debut novelist to the quick, prompting a years-long hiatus from writing.

The harsh review deeply wounded the author, causing a long break.

Complex sentence with a participial phrase ('prompting...').

In her relentless pursuit of truth, the investigative journalist invariably struck the quick of the institutional corruption.

The journalist always reached the sensitive core of the corruption.

'Struck the quick' used to mean hitting the vital, hidden core.

The manicurist's momentary lapse in concentration resulted in the cuticle nippers biting deeply into the quick.

The nail technician lost focus and cut the sensitive flesh deeply.

Precise descriptive language ('momentary lapse', 'cuticle nippers').

He possessed a remarkable ability to discern the underlying anxieties of his peers, often speaking directly to the quick of their insecurities.

He could see people's fears and talk directly to their deepest worries.

'Speaking directly to the quick' meaning addressing the core vulnerability.

The phrase 'the quick and the dead' serves as a linguistic fossil, preserving the Old English definition of vitality within modern liturgical contexts.

The phrase keeps the old meaning of 'alive' in modern church settings.

Metalinguistic sentence discussing the word's own history.

Her betrayal was not merely a breach of trust; it was an existential blow that cut him to the very quick of his being.

Her betrayal was a massive strike that hurt his deepest self.

Intensifying the idiom with 'the very quick of his being'.

The surgical procedure requires meticulous excision of the damaged keratin without compromising the underlying quick.

The surgery needs careful removal of the nail without hurting the nail bed.

Highly clinical and specialized medical terminology.

The satirical play was brilliant precisely because it bypassed superficial mockery and aimed straight for the quick of societal hypocrisy.

The play was great because it attacked the deepest part of society's lies.

Using 'aimed straight for the quick' to describe incisive satire.

The polemicist's genius lay not in broad ad hominem attacks, but in his surgical ability to locate and lacerate the psychological quick of his opponents.

The debater's skill was finding and attacking the deepest emotional vulnerabilities of his rivals.

Advanced vocabulary ('polemicist', 'lacerate') elevating the idiom.

Enduring the chronic pain of an exposed quick is a visceral reminder of the fragile boundary between our protective armor and our most vulnerable flesh.

The pain of an open nail bed reminds us how thin our protection is.

Philosophical reflection using the anatomical definition.

When the protagonist's foundational illusions are finally shattered, the narrative achieves a devastating resonance, cutting the reader to the quick alongside the character.

When the hero's beliefs break, the story deeply moves and hurts the reader too.

Literary analysis context, describing the emotional transference to the reader.

The archaic juxtaposition of the quick and the dead in eschatological texts underscores a binary worldview that predates modern nuances of mortality.

The old contrast of living and dead in end-of-the-world texts shows an ancient, simple view of life.

Academic theological context ('eschatological', 'juxtaposition').

Her resignation letter was a masterpiece of understated fury, devoid of profanity yet calibrated to cut the board of directors to the absolute quick.

Her letter was quietly angry and perfectly designed to deeply offend the board.

'Calibrated to cut... to the absolute quick' shows intentional, precise emotional damage.

To truly understand the poet's oeuvre, one must recognize how frequently he probes the quick of human isolation, refusing to offer facile consolations.

To understand the poet's work, you must see how he explores deep loneliness without offering easy comfort.

'Probes the quick' used to describe deep, unflinching artistic exploration.

The cauterization of the quick, while intensely painful, was deemed medically necessary to arrest the persistent hemorrhaging of the avulsed claw.

Burning the nail bed hurt a lot but was needed to stop the torn claw from bleeding.

Extreme medical precision ('cauterization', 'avulsed claw').

He navigated the fraught diplomatic negotiations with an acute awareness that a single misjudged phrase could strike the quick of historical grievances.

He handled the tense talks knowing one wrong word could trigger deep historical anger.

'Strike the quick of historical grievances' applies the metaphor to geopolitical sensitivity.

동의어

nail bed core heart center flesh sensitivity

반의어

surface exterior periphery

자주 쓰는 조합

cut to the quick

bite to the quick

trim the quick

hit the quick

touch the quick

sting to the quick

the quick and the dead

exposed quick

pierce to the quick

avoid the quick

자주 쓰는 구문

cut to the quick

— To cause someone deep emotional pain or offense. It implies the insult bypassed all defenses.

His thoughtless comments about her weight cut her to the quick.

bitten down to the quick

— Fingernails that have been chewed so short that the sensitive skin is exposed. Often indicates severe anxiety.

Her nails were bitten down to the quick before the final exam.

the quick and the dead

— Everyone; all people, both those currently living and those who have died.

The plague swept through the village, sparing neither the quick nor the dead.

touch someone to the quick

— To deeply affect someone emotionally, either through pain or profound empathy.

The orphan's tragic story touched the philanthropist to the quick.

cut nails to the quick

— To trim fingernails or toenails excessively short, causing pain.

I accidentally cut my thumbnail to the quick and it throbbed all day.

sting to the quick

— A variation of 'cut to the quick', emphasizing the sharp, sudden nature of the emotional pain.

The sudden rejection letter stung the applicant to the quick.

probe the quick

— To investigate or touch upon the most sensitive, painful part of an issue or memory.

The interviewer dared to probe the quick of the celebrity's recent scandal.

wound to the quick

— To deeply injure someone's feelings or pride.

He was wounded to the quick when his son refused to attend his wedding.

cut into the quick

— The physical act of severing the living tissue under a nail.

The parrot squawked loudly when the clippers cut into the quick.

reach the quick

— To finally get to the core or most vital part of a problem after stripping away the superficial layers.

After hours of debate, they finally reached the quick of the philosophical dilemma.

자주 혼동되는 단어

quick vs quick (adjective)

Learners often try to interpret the noun 'quick' as meaning 'fast', leading to nonsensical translations of idioms.

quick vs cuticle

The cuticle is the dead skin at the base of the nail on top. The quick is the living flesh underneath the nail. They are anatomically different.

quick vs core

While 'core' is a synonym for the emotional meaning, 'core' cannot be used to describe the anatomy of a fingernail.

관용어 및 표현

"cut to the quick"

— To deeply hurt someone's feelings by being highly critical or insulting. It is the most common idiom using this noun.

When she told him he was a failure, she truly cut him to the quick.

Neutral/Dramatic

"the quick and the dead"

— An archaic phrase meaning all of humanity, encompassing those who are alive and those who have passed away.

The preacher warned of the final judgment of the quick and the dead.

Formal/Religious

"touch the quick"

— To address or affect the most sensitive or vital part of a person or a situation.

The new policy touches the quick of the privacy debate.

Formal/Literary

"sting to the quick"

— To cause sharp, sudden emotional pain, similar to a physical sting.

The realization that he had been forgotten stung him to the quick.

Literary

"wound to the quick"

— To cause a deep, lasting emotional injury.

Her cruel laughter wounded his pride to the quick.

Literary

"pierce to the quick"

— To penetrate deeply into someone's emotions or the core of an issue.

The cold wind seemed to pierce him to the quick.

Literary/Poetic

"cut someone to the quick"

— A direct variation of the main idiom, specifying the person being hurt as the object.

The betrayal cut the king to the quick.

Neutral

"down to the quick"

— To the absolute limit or to the most sensitive core, often used physically with nails or metaphorically with resources.

The company's budget has been slashed down to the quick.

Informal/Metaphorical

"rub the quick"

— To irritate a sensitive emotional spot, similar to rubbing salt in a wound.

Mentioning his ex-wife really rubbed the quick of his insecurities.

Informal

"strike the quick"

— To hit upon the most essential or sensitive truth of a matter.

Her analysis struck the quick of the economic problem.

Formal

혼동하기 쉬운

quick vs cuticle

Both relate to the anatomy of the fingernail and are discussed during manicures.

The cuticle is the thin layer of dead skin that rides out onto the top base of the nail plate. The quick is the highly sensitive, living, vascular tissue underneath the protruding part of the nail.

The manicurist pushed back the cuticle, being careful not to file down to the quick.

quick vs fast

'Fast' is a synonym for the adjective form of 'quick'.

'Fast' is never used as a noun to mean sensitive flesh or emotional core. You cannot be 'cut to the fast'.

He ran fast, but the insult still cut him to the quick.

quick vs brisk

Another synonym for the adjective 'quick'.

Like 'fast', 'brisk' cannot be used as a noun in this context.

They took a brisk walk to calm down after the argument cut him to the quick.

quick vs marrow

'Cut to the marrow' or 'chilled to the marrow' are similar anatomical idioms for deep feeling.

Marrow is inside bones. The quick is under nails. 'Cut to the quick' is much more common for emotional insults.

The cold wind chilled him to the marrow, but her rejection cut him to the quick.

quick vs nerve

The idiom 'struck a nerve' is very similar in meaning to 'cut to the quick'.

A nerve is a literal fiber transmitting sensation anywhere in the body. The quick is a specific location. 'Struck a nerve' often implies causing anger or defensiveness, while 'cut to the quick' implies deep sorrow.

His joke struck a nerve, but her outright lie cut me to the quick.

문장 패턴

[Subject] cut [Possessive Pronoun] nails to the quick.

He cut his nails to the quick.

[Subject] was cut to the quick by [Noun Phrase].

She was cut to the quick by his harsh words.

[Noun Phrase] cut [Object] to the quick.

The sudden betrayal cut him to the quick.

[Subject] bit [Possessive Pronoun] nails down to the quick because [Clause].

He bit his nails down to the quick because he was terrified of the outcome.

By [Verb-ing], [Subject] managed to probe the quick of [Noun Phrase].

By asking relentless questions, the journalist managed to probe the quick of the scandal.

Avoid cutting into the quick when [Verb-ing].

Avoid cutting into the quick when trimming the claws.

[Subject] touched the quick of [Noun Phrase].

The speaker touched the quick of the community's grief.

Neither the quick nor the dead [Verb Phrase].

Neither the quick nor the dead were spared from the plague.

어휘 가족

명사

동사

형용사

사용법

frequency

The noun form is relatively rare compared to the adjective form, but the idiom 'cut to the quick' is highly common in written English.

자주 하는 실수

Using 'quick' as a noun to mean 'speed'. → Using 'quickness' for speed, and 'the quick' for the nail bed.
Learners often say 'He ran with great quick.' This is incorrect. The noun form of the adjective 'quick' (meaning fast) is 'quickness'. The noun 'quick' means the sensitive flesh.
Saying 'sliced to the quick' or 'hurt to the quick'. → Saying 'cut to the quick'.
Idioms are fixed phrases. While 'sliced' means the same thing as 'cut', native speakers only use 'cut' in this specific idiom. Changing the verb sounds unnatural.
Omitting the article: 'I bit my nails to quick.' → Saying 'I bit my nails to the quick.'
Because 'quick' refers to a specific anatomical location, it requires the definite article 'the'. Omitting it makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.
Pluralizing the word: 'The dogs' quicks were bleeding.' → Saying 'The dogs' nails were cut to the quick.'
In this context, 'quick' is treated as a mass or uncountable noun representing the sensitive tissue generally. It is rarely, if ever, pluralized.
Using the idiom for physical injuries other than nails. → Using it only for nails or emotional pain.
You cannot say 'The sword cut his arm to the quick.' The physical use is strictly limited to the anatomy of the nail. For other body parts, use 'cut to the bone'.

팁

Always Use 'The'

Never forget the definite article. It is always 'the quick', never 'a quick' or just 'quick' when used as a noun.

Memorize the Idiom

Treat 'cut to the quick' as a single vocabulary word. Do not try to change the verb or the preposition.

Pet Care Essential

If you own a dog or cat, you must know this word. Your vet will use it when explaining how to groom your pet.

Reserve for Severe Pain

Do not use 'cut to the quick' for minor annoyances. It describes profound, deep emotional wounds and insults.

Remember the Origin

Remembering that 'quick' originally meant 'alive' helps explain both 'quicksand' and 'the quick and the dead'.

Crisp 'K' Sound

Ensure you pronounce the final 'k' clearly. Do not let the word trail off, or it might be misunderstood.

Show, Don't Tell

In creative writing, saying a character was 'cut to the quick' is much stronger than saying they were 'very sad'.

Not the Cuticle

Do not confuse the quick with the cuticle. The cuticle is dead skin on top; the quick is living flesh underneath.

Listen for Prepositions

If you hear 'to the' or 'into the' before 'quick', your brain should immediately switch from the adjective meaning to the noun meaning.

Avoid Plurals

Resist the urge to add an 's'. Even if you hurt all your fingers, you bit them 'down to the quick'.

암기하기

기억법

Imagine you QUICKly pull your hand away when someone cuts the QUICK of your nail because it hurts so much. The QUICK action is caused by the pain in the QUICK.

시각적 연상

Visualize a fingernail that is painted half white (the dead nail) and half bright, glowing pink (the quick). Imagine a tiny lightning bolt hitting the pink part, representing the sharp pain of being 'cut to the quick'.

Word Web

Nail Flesh Sensitive Pain Cut Idiom Emotions Core

챌린지

Look at your own fingernails. Try to identify where the white part ends and the pink part begins. Point to the pink part and say out loud, 'That is the quick. If I cut it, it will hurt.' Then, think of a time someone insulted you deeply and say, 'That insult cut me to the quick.'

어원

The word 'quick' comes from the Old English word 'cwic', which meant 'living' or 'alive'. This Old English word traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*kwikwaz' and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root '*gwei-', meaning 'to live'. The transition from 'living' to 'fast' happened because living things move, whereas dead things are still. The noun form retained the original meaning of 'living tissue'.

원래 의미: Alive, living, or animated.

Indo-European > Germanic > West Germanic > Old English

문화적 맥락

Be aware that 'cut to the quick' implies genuine emotional trauma. Do not use it mockingly or to describe minor inconveniences, as it may make you seem insensitive or overly dramatic.

In British and American literature, 'cut to the quick' is a classic trope used in Victorian novels to describe the extreme emotional sensitivity of protagonists.

The Apostles' Creed: 'He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.' Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors: 'And with a bodkin thrust us to the quick.' Charles Dickens' novels frequently feature characters who are 'wounded to the quick' by societal slights.

실생활에서 연습하기

실제 사용 상황

Veterinary Care

trim the claws
avoid the quick
styptic powder
nail clippers

Nail Salons

cuticle care
nail bed
hit the quick
manicure tools

Emotional Arguments

deeply hurt
cut to the quick
personal insult
strike a nerve

Literary Analysis

emotional core
probe the quick
character vulnerability
metaphorical language

Religious/Historical Texts

the quick and the dead
final judgment
archaic English
living souls

대화 시작하기

"Have you ever accidentally cut your pet's nails into the quick? How did you stop the bleeding?"

"What is a movie or book that touched the quick of your own personal fears or hopes?"

"Can you think of a time when a seemingly small comment from a friend cut you to the quick?"

"Why do you think the English language uses a word for physical nail pain to describe emotional heartbreak?"

"Do you have a bad habit of biting your fingernails down to the quick when you are stressed?"

일기 주제

Describe a moment in your life when you felt truly cut to the quick by someone you trusted. How did you recover?

Write a short story about a veterinarian who is teaching a new assistant how to find the quick on a difficult dog.

Reflect on the phrase 'the quick and the dead'. How does knowing that 'quick' means 'alive' change your perspective on words like quicksand?

Imagine you are a nail technician. Write a diary entry about a day when you accidentally hit a client's quick.

Analyze a political debate you recently watched. Did any of the candidates manage to strike the quick of their opponent's argument?

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

No. The term 'the quick' is anatomically restricted to the living tissue beneath fingernails, toenails, and animal claws. For a tooth, you would refer to the 'nerve' or the 'pulp'. Using 'the quick' for a tooth would sound very strange to a native speaker.

It depends on the context. If you are talking about literal physical nails, you usually say 'cut into the quick' (e.g., 'I cut into the dog's quick'). If you are using the emotional idiom, it is always 'cut to the quick' (e.g., 'Her insult cut me to the quick').

Because in Old English, the word 'cwic' literally meant 'alive' or 'living'. Over centuries, the word evolved to mean 'fast' (because living things move), but the old definition was preserved in this specific religious phrase from the Apostles' Creed.

No. 'Quicked' is not a standard word. You must use the full idiom: 'I was cut to the quick.' Some dog groomers informally use 'quick' as a verb (e.g., 'I accidentally quicked the dog'), but this is highly specialized slang and not used for human emotions.

Yes. All animals with claws or nails, including cats, dogs, birds, and rabbits, have a quick. It is the pink, vascular part inside the translucent claw. Cutting it causes pain and bleeding for any of these animals.

'Broken-hearted' specifically refers to deep romantic grief or extreme sadness from a loss. 'Cut to the quick' refers to the sharp, sudden pain of a severe insult, betrayal, or harsh realization. You are broken-hearted when your spouse dies; you are cut to the quick when your spouse calls you worthless.

It is a versatile phrase that leans slightly formal or literary, but it is perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation when discussing serious emotional matters. It is not considered slang, nor is it overly academic.

No. Even if multiple people are insulted, or if you bite all ten of your fingernails, you always use the singular 'the quick'. It is treated as an uncountable concept in these phrases.

Veterinarians and groomers use a product called styptic powder (or a styptic pencil). When pressed against the bleeding quick, it causes the blood vessels to contract and the blood to clot almost instantly. Cornstarch can be used in an emergency.

Historically, it meant 'living people', but today, its noun form is almost exclusively restricted to the nail bed anatomy and the emotional idiom. You will not encounter other noun meanings in modern English.

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