quick on the draw

1. Literally, very quick at drawing one's gun in readiness to shoot it. The gunfighter was so quick on the draw that he often shot his enemies before they reached their own gun.

2. By extension, understanding, anticipating, or reacting to a given situation or circumstance very quickly. You have to be quick on the draw if you want to get ahead in the world of business. Faced with criticism by environmentalists, the company's PR rep was quick on the draw and pointed out its important role in job creation for the local community. John is quick on the draw to defend himself when criticized.

quick on the trigger

1. Literally, very quick at drawing one's gun in readiness to shoot it. The gunfighter was so quick on the trigger that he often shot his enemies before they reached their own gun.

2. By extension, understanding, anticipating, or reacting to a given situation or circumstance very quickly. You have to be quick on the trigger if you want to get ahead in the world of business. Faced with criticism by environmentalists, the company's PR rep was quick on the trigger and pointed out its important role in job creation for the local community. John is quick on the trigger to defend himself when criticized.

quick on the draw/trigger

Fast to act or react. The term comes from the gunslingers of the American West and was transferred to other kinds of quick reaction in the first half of the twentieth century. The literal meaning of quick on the trigger is a century older, appearing in a letter of 1808: “I trust that all your Aids will be quick on the trigger” (M. L. Weems, in E. E. F. Skeel, M. L. Weems: Works and Ways).