# quick off the mark

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/quick-off-the-mark
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

fast to act or react

## Examples

- She is quick off the mark when she hears the starting gun.
- The company was quick off the mark to release a new app after the market changed.
- Being quick off the mark, the experienced negotiator immediately identified the flaw in the contract before his opponent could respond.

## Origin

From the terminology of track and field, where the mark denotes the specific point from which a racer commences their run. The phrase identifies those possessing the requisite alertness to react to the starting signal without delay.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.