rapid

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: rap=id
• COUNT in NET: 1 in 1 verses (in OT : 1 in 1 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

rapid, a. [L. rapidus, fr. rapere to seize and carry off, to snatch or hurry away; perhaps akin to Gr. 'arpa`zein: cf. F. rapide. Cf. Harpy, Ravish.].

•  Very swift or quick; moving with celerity; fast; as, a rapid stream; a rapid flight; a rapid motion.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ascend my chariot; guide the rapid wheels."  [1913 Webster]
•  Advancing with haste or speed; speedy in progression; in quick sequence; as, rapid growth; rapid improvement; rapid recurrence; rapid succession.  [1913 Webster]
•  Quick in execution; as, a rapid penman.  [1913 Webster]

rapid, n. [Cf. F. rapide. See Rapid, a.].

 The part of a river where the current moves with great swiftness, but without actual waterfall or cascade; sometimes called whitewater; -- usually used in the plural; as, the Lachine rapids in the St. Lawrence.  [1913 Webster]
"Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rapid, adj. & n.
--adj. (rapider, rapidest)
1 quick, swift.
2 acting or completed in a short time.
3 (of a slope) descending steeply.
4 Photog. fast.
--n. (usu. in pl.) a steep descent in a river-bed, with a swift current.

Idiom

rapid eye-movement a type of jerky movement of the eyes during periods of dreaming. rapid-fire (attrib.) fired, asked, etc., in quick succession. rapid transit (attrib.) denoting high-speed urban transport of passengers.

Derivative

rapidity n. rapidly adv. rapidness n.

Etymology

L rapidus f. rapere seize

THESAURUS

rapid

abrupt, agile, alacritous, bluff, bold, breakneck, brisk, ceaseless, chattering, chute, constant, continual, dashing, double-quick, eagle-winged, expeditious, express, fast, fleet, flying, galloping, hair-trigger, hasty, headlong, high-speed, hurried, hustling, immediate, impetuous, incessant, instant, instantaneous, light of heel, light-footed, lively, machine gun, mercurial, nimble, nimble-footed, oscillating, perennial, perpetual, plunging, precipitate, precipitous, prompt, pulsating, quick, quick as lightning, quick as thought, rapids, reckless, regular, repeated, riff, riffle, ripple, running, sault, sharp, sheer, shoot, snappy, spanking, speedy, staccato, steady, steep, stuttering, sudden, sustained, swift, unbroken, unceasing, unchanging, unintermitted, unintermittent, unintermitting, uninterrupted, unremitting, unstopped, unvarying, vertical, vibrating, winged

ROGET THESAURUS

rapid

Velocity

N velocity, speed, celerity, swiftness, rapidity, eagle speed, expedition, pernicity, acceleration, haste, spurt, rush, dash, race, steeple chase, smart rate, lively rate, swift rate, rattling rate, spanking rate, strapping rate, smart pace, lively pace, swift pace, rattling pace, spanking pace, strapping pace, round pace, flying, flight, lightning, greased lightning, light, electricity, wind, cannon ball, rocket, arrow, dart, hydrargyrum, quicksilver, telegraph, express train, torrent, eagle, antelope, courser, race horse, gazelle, greyhound, hare, doe, squirrel, camel bird, chickaree, chipmunk, hackee, ostrich, scorcher, Mercury, Ariel, Camilla, Harlequin, log, log line, speedometer, odometer, tachometer, strobe, radar speed detector, radar trap, air speed gauge, wind sock, wind speed meter, pedometer, fast, speedy, swift, rapid, quick, fleet, aliped, nimble, agile, expeditious, express, active, flying, galloping, light footed, nimble footed, winged, eagle winged, mercurial, electric, telegraphic, light-legged, light of heel, swift as an arrow, quick as lightning, quick as a thought, swiftly, with speed, apace, at a great rate, at full speed, at railway speed, full drive, full gallop, posthaste, in full sail, tantivy, trippingly, instantaneously, under press of sail, under press of canvas, under press of sail and steam, velis et remis, on eagle's wing, in double quick time, with rapid strides, with giant strides, a pas de geant, in seven league boots, whip and spur, ventre a terre, as fast as one's legs will carry one, as fast as one's heels will carry one, as fast as one can lay legs to the ground, at the top of one's speed, by leaps and bounds, with haste, vires acquirit eundo, I'll put a girdle about the earth in forty minutes, swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow, go like a bat out of hell, tempus fugit.