variants or less commonly pdq
informal
: as quickly as possible : immediately
Like a great many of my generation, I'm sorry that I never asked my grandfather about his experiences of fighting in World War I—though I suspect that like so many of his generation, he would have changed the subject PDQ.Tom Utley
He needed to get back to the hospital pdq, he said.Bob Levey

Examples of PDQ in a Sentence

We need to hire someone PDQ. the boss wants the report, and he wants it PDQ

Word History

Etymology

abbreviation of pretty damned quick

First Known Use

circa 1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of PDQ was circa 1875

Dictionary Entries Near PDQ

Cite this Entry

“PDQ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PDQ. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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