quick
The quick is the sensitive, living part of your skin right under your fingernails.
Explanation at your level:
The quick is the soft skin under your fingernail. It is very sensitive. If you cut it, it hurts! We use this word to talk about the part of the finger that is alive.
When you cut your nails, you must be careful. If you cut too deep, you reach the quick. This is the part of the skin under the nail that has nerves. It is very sensitive and can bleed.
The noun quick refers to the sensitive tissue under the fingernail. Because this area is so delicate, we use the phrase 'cut to the quick' to describe when someone says something that deeply hurts our feelings or 'touches' our most sensitive emotions.
While 'quick' is commonly known as an adjective meaning 'fast,' as a noun, it carries a more specific, anatomical, and figurative weight. It denotes the 'living' core of a nail. Figuratively, it describes the innermost, most vulnerable part of a person's psyche, often used in literary or formal contexts to describe emotional injury.
In advanced English, the noun quick serves as a bridge between the physical and the metaphysical. Etymologically rooted in the Old English for 'living,' it highlights the contrast between the inert nail plate and the living, innervated tissue beneath. Figurative usage, such as 'cutting to the quick,' implies an incision into one's emotional defenses, reaching the core of one's sensibilities.
Mastery of this word involves understanding its archaic origins in the 'living' sense, which persists in the idiom 'the quick and the dead.' In modern usage, it functions as a precise noun for subungual tissue, while its metaphorical application remains a potent tool for describing profound psychological penetration. It is a word that requires context to distinguish between a grooming mishap and an existential or emotional critique.
Palavra em 30 segundos
- Noun meaning sensitive nail skin
- Figurative meaning: emotional core
- Used in 'cut to the quick'
- Old English root: 'living'
When we talk about the quick as a noun, we are usually talking about that very sensitive area under your nails. If you have ever trimmed your nails too short and felt a sharp sting, you have likely touched the quick.
It is a fascinating word because it bridges the gap between physical pain and emotional depth. When someone says they were cut to the quick, they are not talking about their fingers at all. They mean their feelings were hurt in a way that felt deeply personal and raw.
The word quick comes from the Old English word cwic, which originally meant 'alive' or 'living.' This is why we have the phrase 'the quick and the dead' in older texts, referring to living people versus those who have passed away.
Over centuries, the word evolved to describe things that move with life and speed. The connection to the skin under the nail exists because that is the 'living' part of the nail, as opposed to the hard, dead keratin that makes up the nail tip itself.
You will mostly hear this noun used in specific phrases. In a medical or grooming context, it is a neutral, descriptive term. You might hear a manicurist say, 'Be careful not to cut into the quick.'
In emotional contexts, it is almost always used within the idiom 'cut to the quick.' It is a dramatic, literary way to describe being deeply offended or emotionally wounded by someone else's words or actions.
- Cut to the quick: To deeply hurt someone's feelings. Example: Her harsh criticism cut him to the quick.
- The quick and the dead: A biblical phrase for all living and deceased people. Example: It was a trial for the quick and the dead.
- Touch to the quick: To strike at the most sensitive part of a subject. Example: The debate touched the quick of the matter.
- To the quick: Completely or to the core. Example: I was chilled to the quick by the wind.
- Stung to the quick: To be suddenly and sharply offended. Example: He was stung to the quick by the insult.
As a noun, quick is almost always preceded by the definite article 'the.' It is an uncountable noun in this context. You don't usually say 'a quick' or 'quicks.'
Pronunciation is simple: /kwɪk/. It rhymes with sick, pick, trick, flick, and brick. The stress is always on the single syllable.
Fun Fact
The phrase 'the quick and the dead' is from the King James Bible.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'i' sound, crisp 'k' ending.
Similar to UK, very clear 'kw' onset.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'u' as 'oo'
- Adding an extra syllable
- Softening the final 'k'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read, hard to use
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avançado
Grammar to Know
Uncountable nouns
The quick is sensitive.
Examples by Level
Do not cut the quick.
do not cut the sensitive skin
imperative sentence
Be careful of the quick when clipping your nails.
His cruel words cut me to the quick.
The surgeon had to avoid the quick of the patient's toe.
The critique cut to the quick of the entire argument.
The biting satire touched the quick of the nation's political divide.
Colocações comuns
Idioms & Expressions
"cut to the quick"
deeply offend or hurt
The insult cut to the quick.
neutral"the quick and the dead"
everyone
The law applies to the quick and the dead.
literary"stung to the quick"
suddenly hurt
She was stung to the quick by the gossip.
neutral"chilled to the quick"
extremely cold
The winter wind chilled me to the quick.
literary"pierced to the quick"
deeply affected
His sorrow pierced her to the quick.
literaryEasily Confused
Same spelling
Adjective vs Noun
He is quick (adj) vs It hit the quick (noun).
Sentence Patterns
Subject + cut + someone + to the quick
His words cut her to the quick.
How to Use It
4
Formality Scale
Erros comuns
Quick is an adjective for speed, not a noun.
It is an uncountable noun.
Different spelling and meaning.
Tips
Old English Roots
It used to mean 'alive'!
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Quick is the living part; if you cut it, you'll be quick to cry!
Visual Association
A finger with a red, sensitive spot under the nail.
Word Web
Desafio
Use 'cut to the quick' in a sentence today.
Origem da palavra
Old English
Original meaning: Alive/Living
Contexto cultural
Refers to bodily sensitivity.
Commonly used in idioms in literature and formal speech.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Grooming
- trim to the quick
- avoid the quick
Emotional
- cut to the quick
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever been cut to the quick by someone's words?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you felt hurt to the core (the quick).
Perguntas frequentes
2 perguntasYes, but only in specific contexts.
No, it is uncountable.
Teste-se
Be careful of the ___ under your nail.
The quick is the sensitive part.
What does 'cut to the quick' mean?
It is a metaphor for emotional pain.
Pontuação: /2
Summary
The quick is the living, sensitive part of your nail or your feelings.
- Noun meaning sensitive nail skin
- Figurative meaning: emotional core
- Used in 'cut to the quick'
- Old English root: 'living'
Context is Key
Remember it's usually a noun only when talking about nails or feelings.
Old English Roots
It used to mean 'alive'!
Exemplo
I cut my fingernail too short and hit the quick.
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