Mil. [In 1, f. QUICK a. + MARCH sb. In 2, f. (or altered to) QUICK adv. 2 + MARCH v.]

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  1.  A march in QUICK TIME. Also fig.

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1752.  Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), I. 287. That quick march of the spirits … does in the end exhaust the mind.

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1796.  Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 247. The Quick March, 108 steps in a minute.

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1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Quick march,… the ordinary pace is 31/4 miles to the hour, or 110 paces (275 feet) to the minute.

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  attrib.  1852.  Dickens, Bleak Ho., II. iii. 32. Softly whistling, in quick-march time.

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  2.  Used as a command to soldiers to march in quick time (see quots. 1802 and 1833).

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1802.  James, Milit. Dict., Quick … forms the cautionary part of a word of command when troops are ordered to move in quick time; as Quick—March.

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1833.  Regul. & Instr. Cavalry, I. 18. Quick March.—The command Quick, March, is to be given with a pause between the words, the word Quick being considered as a caution.

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1887.  Times, 14 Nov., 6/3. The words of command were given by a man in a fur cap—‘Eyes front; by your right; quick march.’

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