Thick and fast

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An idiomatic phrase describing events or items occurring or arriving rapidly and in large quantities, suggesting an overwhelming pace or volume that is difficult to manage or count individually.

Detailed Definition
Thick and fast means rapidly and in large numbers, often with events, words, blows, questions, rumours, or memories arriving close together. In poetry, the idiom is useful for battle, storm, gossip, grief, applause, or sensory overload. Its compact rhythm enacts pressure and accumulation. A poet may use it to quicken pace and show a speaker overwhelmed by speed or abundance. The phrase is valuable for scenes where experience does not arrive singly but in crowded, urgent succession.
Example
Example in poetry:
A battle poem might show arrows falling thick and fast before the walls; In a spring poem, blossoms come thick and fast after the first warm rain; The phrase means arriving rapidly and in large numbers; A poet can use it for pace and abundance.
Additional Notes
Thick and fast means rapidly and in large numbers, often of blows, questions, rumours, events, or memories. In poetry, it can create pressure, speed, and accumulation. The phrase suits battle, storms, accusations, falling leaves, news, or thoughts arriving too quickly. Students should notice how the two adjectives work together: thick suggests density, fast suggests pace. It pairs well with rain, arrows, crowds, and breathless syntax.
Also Known As
rapidly
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