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.
Phrases and idioms:
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.
Derivatives:
rapidity n. rapidly adv. rapidness n.
Etymology: L rapidus f. rapere seize