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I'm curious about the correct usage of these terms. To me "fast delivery time" sounds off because time is not something you can't just accelerate. That being said, both terms are used.

Please enlighten me!

Context: of course, delivery times of orders.

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    In my reckoning, the correct usage should be "fast/faster delivery" and "short/shorter delivery time". But of course, common usage (in e-commerce) gets it muddled up.
    – satnam
    Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 9:03
  • Although 'time' is typically supposed to be long or short, terms like 'fast time' are idiomatically used in aquatics, motor sports and athletics, as in Bolt ran a real fast time this year at Prague. Moreover 'fast delivery time' is much clearer for customers of any delivery service, and the proprietor of that pizza parlor is probably not a member (yet) at EL and U!
    – English Student
    Commented Jul 4, 2017 at 6:27

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Used like this, delivery time is a period of time - it can be long or short, but not fast.

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  • However, if there are two categories of service, fast and slow, you can speak of fast delivery time (short) vs slow delivery time (long) where "fast delivery" and "slow delivery" are noun phrases. But that is admittedly a nitpick, and I doubt many users think of it..
    – WhatRoughBeast
    Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 12:14
  • But "quick delivery" sounds idiomatic.
    – Xanne
    Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 20:51

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