Quick on the uptake

Definition

Able to understand or learn something rapidly; mentally sharp and fast to grasp new concepts.

Etymology

This phrase originated in the late 19th century, with 'uptake' referring to the process of grasping or absorbing information, similar to how a chimney uptake draws smoke upward. The mechanical metaphor reflects the industrial age's influence on language, comparing mental processes to efficient machinery.

Kelly Says

The word 'uptake' originally had nothing to do with intelligence - it was a technical term from engineering referring to pipes that carried gases upward in industrial systems. The leap from mechanical uptake to mental uptake shows how the Industrial Revolution shaped our metaphors for thinking and learning.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
በፍጥነት መረዳት
be-fi-tʼ-ne-t me-re-da-t
ARالعربية
سريع الفهم
sa-ri-ʿ al-fahm
BNবাংলা
দ্রুত বোঝাপড়া
dru-t bo-ja-pa-ṛa
CACatalà
ràpid d'entendre
ra-pid den-ten-dre
CSČeština
rychle chápající
rɪx-le ha-pa-jɪ-cɪ
DADansk
hurtig til at forstå
hut-ig til at for-sto
DEDeutsch
schnell von Begriff
ʃnel vɔn bə-gʁif
ELΕλληνικά
γρήγορος στην κατανόηση
ɣri-ɣo-ros stin ka-ta-no-isi
ESEspañol
rápido de reflejos
ra-pi-do de re-fle-hos
FAفارسی
زود فهمیدن
zud fa-ha-mi-dan
FISuomi
nopea ymmärtää
no-pe-a yum-mär-tä
FRFrançais
rapide à la compréhension
ra-pid a la kɔ̃-pʁe-ɛ̃-sion
GUGU
ઝડપથી સમજવું
jha-ḍ-pa-thi sa-ma-jav-um
HAHA
sai da hankali
sai da han-ka-li
HEעברית
מהיר להבין
ma-hir le-ha-vin
HIहिन्दी
तेज़ दिमाग
tez di-māg
HUMagyar
gyors felfogású
ɟor-ʃ fel-fo-ga-ʃu
IDBahasa Indonesia
cepat tanggap
tʃe-pat tang-gap
IGIG
ọsọ ịghọta
o-so i-gho-ta
ITItaliano
veloce nell'intendere
ve-lo-tʃe nel-len-te-re
JA日本語
理解が早い
rikai ga ha-ya-i
KKKK
жылдам түсіну
jɯl-dam tʉ-si-nu
KMKM
លឿនលូតលាស់
luon luot la-sat
KO한국어
빠른 이해
ppa-reun i-hae
MRMR
वेगाने समजणे
ve-ga-ne sa-ma-ja-ne
MSBahasa Melayu
cepat faham
tʃe-pat fa-ham
MYမြန်မာ
မြန်မြန်နားလည်
myan-my-an-na-le
NLNederlands
snel van begrip
snel van bə-ɣrip
NONorsk
hurtig til å forstå
hut-ig til å for-sto
PAPA
ਤੇਜ਼ੀ ਨਾਲ ਸਮਝਣਾ
te-zi naal sam-jha-ṇa
PLPolski
szybki w zrozumieniu
ʃɨp-ki v z-rɔ-ʐu-mi-e-ɲu
PTPortuguês
rápido de entendimento
ra-pi-do de en-ten-di-mento
RORomână
rapid de înțelegere
ra-pid de în-tse-le-ge-re
RUРусский
быстрый на выдумку
bɨstrɨj na vɨdumku
SVSvenska
snabb att förstå
snab b at fɔr-sto
SWKiswahili
haraka kuelewa
ha-ra-ka ke-u-e-wa
TAதமிழ்
விரைவாக புரிந்து கொள்ள
vi-rai-vāk pu-ri-ntu ko-ḷ-ḷ
TEతెలుగు
వేగంగా అర్థం చేసుకోవడం
ve-ga-ṅ-ga ar-tham che-su-ko-va-ḍam
THไทย
ฉลาด
cha-lat
TLTL
mabilis na nakakaintindi
ma-bi-lis na na-ka-kin-tin-di
TRTürkçe
anlayışlı
an-la-yış-lı
UKУкраїнська
швидкий на розум
ʃvid-kij na ro-zum
URاردو
تیزی سے سمجھنا
ti-zi se samajh-na
VITiếng Việt
nhanh nhẹn
nhanh-nhe-n
YOYO
jọwọ́ lọ
jo-wo lo
ZH中文
反应快
fǎn-yìng kuài
ZUZU
ukukhanya ukwazi
u-ku-kha-nya u-kwa-zi

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