p.d.q. phr.
1. pretty damn quick(ly).
 | Mighty Dollar in Clark Favorite Amer. Plays of 19C (1943) 489: That’s right, you’d better step P.D.Q., pretty damn quick. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | letter 30 Oct. in Byrkit Letters from the Southwest (1989) 54: I decided to fly back to the Denver & Rio Grande track p.d.q. in the morning. | |
| Life’s Handicap 189: He went as his instructions advised p.d.q. which means ‘with speed’. | |
| Student Sl. in Cohen (1997) 7: p.d.q. a., adv. Pretty — quick. | |
| ‘Just From Dawson’ in et al. Songs of the Amer. West (1968) 127: He closed his weary eyelids and froze solid p.d.q. | |
| Varmint 290: ‘I say, Slops, what would they do if they caught us?’ ‘Bounce us.’ ‘For good?’ ‘Sure! P.D.Q.’. | |
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | Carrying On 75: Somebody in this gallery is going to be blown up [...] and if you and I don’t get a move on, p.d.q., it will be us! | |
| Chicago May (1929) 100: We beat it p.d.q. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Busman’s Honeymoon (1974) 201: Joe must be taken off the Noakes case p.d.q. | |
| Maltese Falcon [film script] In the Holland box at the post office there’s an envelope with my scrawl [...] Now get that bundle and bring it here P.D.Q. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Come in Spinner (1960) 333: If it don’t make an appearance p.d.q., I’ll wreck the whole bloody joint. | |
| Burn, Killer, Burn! 116: Get me the stuff – P.D.Q.! | |
| Melodeon 109: I had to figure out PDQ how to get Will to play the melodeon. | |
| Lily on the Dustbin 129: It is suggested to dopes that they are not worth their salt [...] so ‘pull your socks up, PDQ’ (pretty damn quick) or ‘POQ’ (piss off quick). | |
| Stage (London) 2 June 20/1: Something must be done PDQ. | |
| Locked Ward (2013) 33: Dialling this told the hospital operator that the Locked Ward needed mucho reinforcements PDQ. | |
| Bluesky 11 Oct. 🌐 You just don't see ‘PDQ’" used a lot anymore, do you? I guess ASAP has taken over some of that use. What else? If ‘PDQ’ were invented today it would probably be ‘QAF’ but that's not used at all. |
2. fast, lively.
| Babbitt (1974) 140: Steer the feet, get the card board, and twist the pupils to the PDQest show ever. |