Where does the saying quick or dead come from?

The phrase "quick or dead" is actually not a common saying in the way you might think. It's not a traditional proverb with a specific origin story.

It's more likely that the phrase is a combination of two separate ideas:

* "Quick": Meaning "alive" or "living" (as in "the quick and the dead"). This usage dates back to the early 14th century.

* "Dead": This obviously refers to the deceased.

The combination of these two words, "quick or dead", is likely used to emphasize a situation where someone is facing a decisive outcome, regardless of whether they are alive or dead.

Here's an example of how the phrase might be used:

* "They'll find you, quick or dead." This implies that someone is determined to locate a person, no matter what the outcome.

It's important to remember that this is a loose interpretation of the phrase's meaning. It's not a fixed saying with a concrete origin, but rather an expression that naturally combines two distinct concepts.