swiftly

From Middle English swiftly, swyftely, swiftliche, from Old English swiftlīċe (“swiftly”), equivalent to swift +‎ -ly.

• IPA^(key): /ˈswɪftli/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

swiftly (comparative swiftlier or more swiftly, superlative swiftliest or most swiftly)

1. In a swift manner; quickly; with quick motion or velocity; fleetly.
   • 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 21:

     Mrs. Piper cut short these piracies by swiftly removing his spoon.

   • 1955 September, H. A. Vallance, “The Border Counties Line”, in Railway Magazine, page 594:

     The head of the North Tyne is reached at Deadwater, 36 miles from Hexham. The river has its source just on the English side of the Border, at the foot of Peel Fell, the most westerly spur of the Cheviots. At first it is a sluggish stream (hence the name Deadwater) but begins to flow more swiftly before it reaches Kielder.

   • 1999, Linda Flavell, Roger Flavell, “1066[:] The Normans Begin to Erect Castles”, in dictionary of english down through the ages[:] words & phrases born out of historical events great & small, 2005 edition, London: Kyle Cathie Limited, →ISBN, page 17:

     Strategic sites in even the remotest regions of the kingdom were swiftly fortified using forced labour.

   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     [T]he early hostility of the Bulgarian supporters was swiftly subdued.

• See also Thesaurus:quickly