Q

quake in one’s boots Go to shake in one’s

boots.

queer as a three-dollar bill Go to (as)

queer as a three-dollar bill.

quick and dirty [done] fast and carelessly;

[done] fast and cheaply. I am not in-

terested in a quick and dirty job. I want it

done right. The contractor made a lot of

money on quick and dirty projects that

would never last very long.

quick as a flash Go to (as) quick as a wink.

quick as a wink Go to (as) quick as a wink.

quick as greased lightning Go to (as)

quick as greased lightning.

quick on the draw Go to quick on the

trigger.

quick on the trigger and quick on the

draw 1. quick to draw a gun and shoot.

(Informal.) Some of the old cowboys

were known to be quick on the trigger.

Wyatt Earp was particularly quick on the

draw. 2. quick to respond to anything.

(Informal.) John gets the right answer

before anyone else. He’s really quick on the

trigger. Sally will probably win the quiz

game. She’s really quick on the draw.

quick on the uptake quick to understand

(something). Just because I’m not quick

on the uptake, it doesn’t mean I’m stupid.

Mary understands jokes before anyone

else because she’s so quick on the uptake.

quiet as a mouse Go to (as) quiet as a

mouse.

quiet as the grave Go to (as) quiet as the

grave.

quite a bit and quite a few; quite a lit-

tle; quite a lot; quite a number much

or many. Do you need one? I have quite

a few. I have quite a little—enough to

spare some.  How many? Oh, quite a

number.

quite a few Go to quite a bit.

quite a little Go to quite a bit.

quite a lot Go to quite a bit.

quite a number Go to quite a bit.

quite a something definitely [something]; a

good example of [something].

captain of the swim team is quite a swim-

That’s quite a bruise you have

there.

quote a price to name or state in advance

the charge for doing or supplying some-

thing. The mechanic quoted a price of

$100 to repair my car. The carpenter

quoted a price for fixing up the stairs.