Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Easily angered or provoked: Describes a person who becomes angry very quickly and with little provocation.
   • Having a short temper: Characterized by a tendency to react with immediate irritation or fury.

Usage

• This adjective is used to describe a person's character or disposition. It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become').
• It often carries a slightly negative connotation, implying a lack of patience or emotional control.

Examples

• Attributive use:
  • He is a quick-tempered man who often shouts at his employees.
  • Her quick-tempered response surprised everyone in the meeting.
• Predicative use:
  • Be careful what you say; she can be very quick-tempered.
  • I know he seems quick-tempered, but he calms down just as fast.

Advanced Usage

• "to be quick-tempered with someone": to be easily angered specifically by a particular person or group.
  • The teacher was notoriously quick-tempered with students who didn't do their homework.

Variants and Related Words

• Short-tempered (adj): A very close synonym with essentially the same meaning.
• Hot-tempered (adj): Another synonym, often implying a fiery or passionate anger.
• Hotheaded (adj): Similar to quick-tempered, but can also imply impulsiveness and rashness in addition to anger.
• Quick-temperedness (n): The state or quality of being quick-tempered (less common).

Synonyms

• Irascible: Prone to outbursts of anger.
• Testy: Easily irritated, especially by minor annoyances.
• Choleric: Bad-tempered or irritable (formal).
• Cantankerous: Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.

Antonyms

• Even-tempered: Calm and not easily angered.
• Placid: Not easily upset or excited.
• Patient: Able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

Related Idioms

• To have a short fuse: An informal idiom meaning to be quick-tempered.
  • Don't tease him; he has a very short fuse.
• To fly off the handle: To suddenly become very angry.
  • He flew off the handle when he saw the broken window.

Adjective

1. quickly aroused to anger
   • a hotheaded commander