Click below to listen to the phrase.
Choose the correct definition a, b or c.
a) to react slowly
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b) to react quickly
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To be ’quick off the mark’ means to be quick to act or react to an event or situation or to understand something. ’Slow off the mark’ is an idiom which has the opposite meaning.
French translation
être prompt à
How NOT to translate : *être vite hors de la marque
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Examples in context
‘Twitter leaps too quickly to suspend journalist’s account.
Twitter were rather too quick off the mark to suspend the account of a California-based journalist, Darwin BondGraham, after he tweeted a document he had obtained under the state’s public records act.
It showed an email exchange between an employee and a customer of the law enforcement contractor, PredPol.
Shortly afterwards, the employee responded on Twitter by asking BondGraham : “Can you please not publish my personal information publicly.” The request apparently referred to the fact that Lovell’s office phone number was visible in the emails.’
The Guardian, 12th Dec. 2014
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’2015 Subaru WRX is quick off the mark and quicker to please.
I jumped in and … it’s an automatic. Really ? Come on !
I got over it quickly, though, as this is an awesome compact sports sedan — even with the continuously variable automatic transmission.
The new Sport Lineartronic CVT actually creates a new tone in the WRX pallet ; slightly less involved, but better suited to everyday driving, like commuting and general schlepping.
The “manual” mode of the CVT allows you to select your own (simulated) gears, in six- or eight-gear allotments, with paddle shifters. But just letting the CVT do its own thing is also very satisfying.’
Metro News California, 14th Oct. 2014
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Everyday usage
Steven was quick off the mark when the internet started. He had his first website up and running before most people had even tried email..
The Commission has in fact been too quick off the mark with its proposal on the complete unbundling of ownership rights.
c) to yield quickly
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