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Expedition vs Expeditious - What's the difference?

expedition | expeditious |

As a noun expedition

is the act of expediting or hurrying.

As an adjective expeditious is

fast, prompt, speedy.

expedition

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • To act of expediting something; prompt execution.
  • A military journey; an enterprise against some enemy or into enemy territory.
  • The quality of being expedite; speed, quickness.
  • * 1719 , (Daniel Defoe), :
    • one of them began to come nearer our boat than at first I expected; but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun with all possible expedition […].
  • * 1749 , (Henry Fielding), Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, p. 331:
  • *:he presently exerted his utmost agility, and with surprizing expedition ascended the hill.
  • *1979 , , Smiley's People , Folio Society 2010, p. 33:
  • *:The photographer had photographed, the doctor had certified life extinct, the pathologist had inspected the body in situ'' as a prelude to conducting his autopsy – all with an expedition quite contrary to the proper pace of things, merely in order to clear the way for the visiting ''irregular , as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Crime and Ops) had liked to call him.
  • An important enterprise, implying a change of place; especially, a warlike enterprise; a march or a voyage with martial intentions; an excursion by a body of persons for a valuable end; as, a military, naval, exploring, or scientific expedition.
  • The body of persons making such excursion.

    • expeditious

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Fast, prompt, speedy.
  • * 1815 , , Emma , ch. 38,
    • Our coachman and horses are so extremely expeditious !—I believe we drive faster than any body.
  • (of a process or thing) Completed or done with efficiency and speed; facilitating speed.
  • * 1816 , , The Antiquary , vol. 1, ch. 7,
    • As they thus pressed forward, longing doubtless to exchange the easy curving line, which the sinuosities of the bay compelled them to adopt, for a straighter and more expeditious path, Sir Arthur observed a human figure on the beach.
  • * 1844 , , Barry Lyndon , ch. 14,
    • Now, there was a sort of rough-and-ready law in Ireland in those days, which was of great convenience to persons desirous of expeditious justice.

    Related terms

    * expedite * expeditiously