rapidrap‧id /ˈræpɪd/ ●●○ W3 adjective 
The patient made a rapid recovery.rapid growth/expansion/development/increase rapid population growth a period of rapid decline He fired three times in rapid succession (=one after another).► see thesaurus at fast—rapidity /rəˈpɪdəti/ noun [uncountable]: Their debts mounted with alarming rapidity.COLLOCATIONSnounsrapid growth/expansion/development· The industry is experiencing rapid growth.a rapid increase/rise· The country cannot cope with a rapid increase in population.rapid change· The labour market has undergone a period of rapid change over the last few years.the rapid spread of something· Close contact between people resulted in the rapid spread of the disease.a rapid decline/deterioration· These parasites cause a rapid decline in the health of the fish.rapid progress· Both Tom and Victoria had made rapid progress under his guidance.a rapid response· He praised state health authorities for their rapid response to the crisis.phrasesat a rapid rate/pace· Deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate as a result of agricultural development.in rapid succession (=quickly, one after the other)· Pictures of a man were flashed upon the screen in rapid succession.
WORD ORIGINrapid
Origin:
1600-1700 Latin rapidus ‘seizing, sweeping away’, from rapere; ➔ RAPE1EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Rapid learning: Learn to speak a new language in 12 weeks!
- a rapid increase in the population
- Adolescence is a period of great and rapid change.
- She made a rapid recovery after her operation.
- The college offers a rapid programme of training for librarians.
- Will cast a rapid glance at the clock.
- After one treatment the fish has made rapid progress and is now able to swim upright.
- But this same development model has recently produced the largest and most rapid reduction of poverty in history.
- For hard-liners, on both sides, the rapid movement toward a new world structure was alarming.
- Investments in public transport in these areas have concentrated on expensive high technology systems of rapid rail transit.
- That was the first wonderful release, others were to follow in rapid succession.
- The rapid force of airbag inflation saves adult lives.
THESAURUS
moving or able to move quickly: · The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world.· a fast car
moving fast or doing something in a short time: · He was much quicker than I was over the first 100 metres.· Do I have time for a quick shower?
[only before noun] designed to travel or operate very quickly: · a high-speed train· high-speed Internet access
especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: · a rapid increase in the population· the rapid expansion of the firm’s business in the Middle East· a rapid decline in profits
written moving quickly or happening after only a short time: · The horses ran along the track at a swift trot.· He received a swift response to his letter.
quick and energetic: · a brisk walk in the countryside· His manner was very brisk.
[only before noun] happening after only a short time: · Everyone wishes you a speedy recovery.· a speedy resolution to the problem
done more quickly than usual, because you do not have much time: · She ate a hurried breakfast in the cafe before catching her train.· We made a hurried departure.
deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results: · It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.· Let’s not be too hasty.
taking only a short time to do something: · I took a quick look at the map.· Do I have time for a quick shower before we go out?
lasting only a short time: · You can do a short course in diving.· The meeting was shorter than I’d expected.
especially written lasting only a short time. Brief is more formal than short, and is used especially in written English: · The president made a brief visit to Buenos Aires.· a brief introduction to Piaget’s ideas· a brief pause in the rain
especially written happening in a short period of time – used about changes, increases, improvements etc: · a rapid increase in crime· the rapid rate of industrial development
happening or done as quickly as possible, especially so that you get the result that you want: · Best wishes for a speedy recovery.· The restoration work has been making speedy progress.
done very soon after something else: · Thank you for your prompt reply.· the prompt action of the firefighters· Discounts will be offered for prompt payment.
deciding or doing something very quickly, especially when this has bad results: · It was a hasty decision, which he later regretted.· They had to make a hasty departure.
formal looking at something very quickly without much attention to detail: · Even a cursory glance at these figures shows that there is a problem.· The police conducted a cursory search of the property.
Longman Language Activatordoing things quickly or happening quickly doing things quickly or happening quickly , without taking much time: · She undressed quickly and got into bed.· It's important to realize how quickly this disease can spread.· Quickly fry the onions, then add the meat.
a quick movement or action is one that you do quickly or one that only takes a short time: · I'll just take a quick shower.· That was quick -- have you finished already?· I had to make a quick decision.be quick (=use this when you are telling someone to hurry): · You'll have to be quick - we don't have much time.
if you work, talk, or write fast , you do it quickly: · Don't talk so fast - I can't understand what you're saying.· We're working as fast as we can.
a rapid change, increase, or improvement is one that happens much more quickly than usual: · a rapid increase in the population· She made a rapid recovery after her operation.· Adolescence is a period of great and rapid change.
happening or done very quickly and without any delay: · Punishment of the protesters was swift and severe.· Swift fashion changes mean that the shop has to change its stock every six to eight weeks.
a speedy return, reply, reaction, etc is one that is done or made successfully, as quickly and efficiently as possible: · We are working to ensure the safe and speedy return of all the refugees to their homes.· Thousands of letters and telegrams arrived wishing Nikolai a speedy recovery from his surgery.
a prompt action, reply, delivery etc is one that is done without delay because quick action is needed: · A major disaster was prevented by the prompt action of the safety officer.· It is important to ensure prompt delivery of goods that customers order.
: meteoric rise/career achieving success extremely quickly and suddenly: · The film tells the story of Lee's meteoric rise from North Dakota radio singer to jazz legend.
if something happens at an alarming rate , it happens so quickly that it makes people very worried: · The Amazonian rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate.· The number of people dying from lung cancer has increased at an alarming rate.
use this to say that something happens extremely quickly and suddenly, so that you almost do not notice what is happening: · He was gone in a flash.· In a flash Atticus was up and standing over him.· Joel slipped but was on his feet in a flash.
a course of study that you do quickly · The college offers a rapid programme of training for librarians.· Rapid learning: Learn to speak a new language in 12 weeks!
an intensive course of study is one in which you are taught a lot in a short time: · Before moving to Paris, Michael went on an intensive course to improve his French.· After a brief period of intensive training, I was allowed to make my first parachute jump.
a course of study in which you learn a particular skill in a very short time in order to prepare yourself for a job: crash course in: · We offer crash courses in word processing.crash course: · Students lacking math and science skills take a seven-week crash course during the summer.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYnouns the rapid spread of cholera in Latin America rapid transit networksCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
· The industry is experiencing rapid growth.
· The country cannot cope with a rapid increase in population.
· The labour market has undergone a period of rapid change over the last few years.
· Close contact between people resulted in the rapid spread of the disease.
· These parasites cause a rapid decline in the health of the fish.
· Both Tom and Victoria had made rapid progress under his guidance.
· He praised state health authorities for their rapid response to the crisis.
phrases· Deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate as a result of agricultural development.
(=quickly, one after the other)· Pictures of a man were flashed upon the screen in rapid succession.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· He did a rapid calculation.
(=fast)· We noticed a rapid decline in his health.
· During the 1990s, there was a rapid expansion in student numbers.
· From the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s there was very rapid growth.
(=happening quickly)· Recently there has been a rapid increase in fish farming.
· Symptoms may include the rapid onset of nausea and vomiting.
· The rapid pace of change creates uncertainty.
· The investigation is making rapid progress.
· Symptoms include a rapid pulse and dry skin.
· The plant’s ability to thrive in these conditions is partly due to its rapid rate of growth.
· The post-war years saw a rapid rise in prosperity.
· Her rapid rise to the top is well deserved.
the rapid spread of cholera in Latin America (=quickly one after the other) He fired two shots in quick succession.
He fired two shots in quick succession. rapid transit networks· It is often more energy-intensive with a more rapid deterioration than low-tech buildings!· Their victory was even more rapid than that of the Arabs ten centuries later.· Other projects made more rapid progress that new year.· Budgets are lower, yet the production pace is more rapid.· Industrialization in rural areas has increased, and has been more rapid than in metropolitan areas.· As you get closer the beeping will get more rapid.· In southern Britain, the process is more rapid.· The crucial datum is this: the rate of gypsy-moth spread is now much more rapid than before.
· Change, in industry, commerce, and agriculture, was most evident and most rapid in the periphery.· Quantitative assessments arc difficult to make, but the most rapid period of growth was probably from about I 580 to 1650.· The regions with the most rapid growth rates were two of the more rural, East Anglia and the South West.· By the beginning of 1947 the United States had almost completed tile most rapid demobilization in the history of the world.· Bearpark expects the most rapid growth to come from services and systems integration, particularly in the open systems arena.· But this same development model has recently produced the largest and most rapid reduction of poverty in history.· Growth was most rapid in percentage terms around 1831 when it reached 1.55 percent per year and in absolute terms around 1870.· Speech is the most rapid form of human communication - faster than both handwriting and the output from a trained typist.
· Not so rapid are the statistical analyses.· In fact so rapid, I am astonished anyone should have noticed it.· This contrasts with societies in which technological advance is so rapid that old people feel deskilled.· When the grand collapse starts, it is so violent and so rapid that nothing can halt it.· The glissando is so rapid that the repetitions of certain notes in it are not heard.· So sad to see their decline - their so rapid decline - in other schools, elsewhere.
· The three sounds combine and blend, and the whole process is very rapid.· Any abortive treatment must have a very rapid action because of the pain crescendo characteristic of these headaches.· This allows for very rapid reproduction.· And we are also experiencing mortality. in some areas very rapid mortality.· They do not seem to have noticed that many predominantly market economies suffer from inflation, and often very rapid inflation.· From the mid 1970's to the mid 1980's there was very rapid growth.· Going farther back, into post-glacial times, we find evidence that erosion and deposition were sometimes very rapid indeed.· This creates a thin surface layer with relatively low thermal heat capacity which allows very rapid summer heating even at subpolar latitudes.
NOUN· Well, not too radical actually, since trades unionists are not noted for their enthusiasm for rapid change.· Both the computer and financial services industries were undergoing rapid change.· Computers for history teaching Computer technology is experiencing rapid change.· They come into existence after relatively brief periods of rapid change in a small sub-population of a pre-existing species.· In an area with such rapid changes in temperature as to erode hard rock into sand, soft shells would not have survived.· Educators know that kindergarten is a stage of rapid change and development.· Whatever the fortunes of the major political parties, it is likely that managers will be coping with rapid change.· Technology is forcing rapid changes in the phone-book industry too.
· This results, even in steady state, in a rapid decline in serum concentrations.· Other factors besides family planning account for such rapid declines.· That's quite a rapid decline.· Then competition with Mission Valley shopping centers and suburban residential growth prompted a rapid decline.· Her husband was told to expect that she would have a fairly rapid decline and would probably die within eighteen months.· Through their research the class know that no railway will mean rapid decline.· Then they began their mysterious and rapid decline.
· The army will expand from four to six the number of infantry battalions ready for rapid deployment.
· The other major trend that is taking place is the rapid development of colour publishing.· The brothers moved quickly to grasp these rapid developments and establish their journalistic voice.· Where fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals with high added value can be produced by biotechnology there will be rapid developments.· The problem is not a function of demographics but of rapid development coupled with a lagging education system.· But the issue was fascinating because of other things, heralding the rapid development of technology in the next century.· In Phoenix the community development block grant was implemented within this context of rapid development.· The eighteenth century was not an age of rapid development in military techniques.· This is an area of rapid development with little or no environmental considerations.
· Modern art is directed at a public largely untutored in the fine arts amidst a rapid expansion of the means of communication.· The rapid expansion of enrolments, teacher numbers and the volume of materials and support services meant that budgets grew very rapidly.· Inevitably with the rapid expansion of the past few years the University is experiencing difficulties in providing sufficient academic as well as residential accommodation.· Institutions took the hint, and began their current binge of rapid expansion.· Its rapid expansion is causing severe strains on its current buildings on Corstorphine Hill.· Since 1979, the rapid expansion of union education in Britain has gone into reverse.· Heclo points to the rapid expansion of the number of groups and their representatives in Washington in the 1970s.
· If rapid eye movements accompany dreaming, does it mean that our eyes are following the action of the dreams?· The sleeper is awakened when rapid eye movements indicate that dreaming is taking place.
· The rapid fire of questions was deliberate, she knew, designed to scare her into blurting out the truth.
· Despite the rapid growth of recent years, poverty is proving stubbornly hard to eradicate.· The recession, inflation, and high food costs caused rapid growth in the number of food co-ops.· The inflation rate was fuelled by a relatively rapid growth rate which in 1989 reached 5.4 percent.· Employment of local government inspectors is concentrated in cities and in suburban areas undergoing rapid growth.· All sorts of companies seem to be capable of rapid growth.· Unfortunately they are seldom present in small quantities for long, as they soon cover the bottom from their rapid growth.· Bearpark expects the most rapid growth to come from services and systems integration, particularly in the open systems arena.· It forces real interest rates into the stratosphere and makes rapid growth extremely difficult.
· With the exception of western humanitarian aid, none of their hopes of an rapid improvement in the economy was fulfilled.· She seemed to have made a rapid improvement in health since I last saw her.· Its workforce needs rapid improvement to suit, its management levels and vision upgrading.
· There was a rapid increase in the output of journals and books and in the range of and demand for newspapers.· However, the rapid increase in the number of science policy-making organs does not necessarily imply efficiency.· But by around 1020, the quality of Norman coins declined markedly as a concomitant to the rapid increase in quantity.· The report also notes a rapid increase in the number of single-parent households.· Younger age groups are experiencing a rapid increase in the proportion of minorities among their ranks.· The rapid increase in the number and diversity of states has had long-term consequences for global politics.· With the rapid increase in biotechnological research, stricter controls with powers of enforcement may well prove necessary in Britain.
· He sat where medical students usually sat, hands clasped before him, watching the rapid movement of the green-robed figures below.· It is only rapid movements up that become uncontrollable.· For hard-liners, on both sides, the rapid movement toward a new world structure was alarming.· Watching rapid movements can aggravate giddiness.· The first rabbit stopped in a sunny patch and scratched his ear with rapid movements of his hind-leg.
· Gripping the sides of the sidecar, he urged Yanto to increase the already rapid pace.· C.-Only eight games into the season and the Raiders are on a rapid pace to being written off.· The very rapid pace of change in the computer market does mean that second-hand computers can be excellent value.
· Reckless economic development and rapid population growth threaten the world's fragile environment.· Life in Cairo often manages to work even under the oppressive condi-tions of poverty and rapid population growth.· Where there is a high population density and a rapid population turnover, the church must achieve visibility.· But with rapid population growth, all the negative effects of poverty and ill-conceived government policies are magnified.· Countries with slower population growth saw their average percapita incomes grow 2.5 percent more than those with more rapid population growth.· The effects of rapid population growth are everywhere.· Congestion and land hunger were particularly acute in Lewis, because of the rapid population increase.· Elsewhere, the effects of rapid population growth are far more severe.
· Other projects made more rapid progress that new year.· The doctors were surprised at his rapid progress.· Leaning rather than pulling is a recurrent theme in windsurfing which, once mastered, leads to rapid progress.· Mr Holmes a Court is thought to have taken advantage of the share's rapid progress, selling his 2 percent stake.· But if rapid progress in combating poverty was possible in Britain over the past 100 years, then it is possible elsewhere.· After one treatment the fish has made rapid progress and is now able to swim upright.· Teachers using Fast Forward find the material is already under control and organized ideally to ensure rapid progress.· Modern fax technology has made rapid progress.
· Communication by electronic means is growing at a rapid rate throughout industry and government organisations.· Do we carry on burning fossil fuels at rapid rates?· Shaw's brand Own label development continued at a rapid rate.· Incidentally, it is a good idea to take photographs where possible as sites are still disappearing at a rapid rate.· Hopefully increased competition will stimulate a more rapid rate of innovation.· Sometimes in history there is a rapid rate of change.· We may be undergoing a rapid rate of change in our knowledge base now, and that may be hard to assimilate.· Given the School's rapid rate of growth, more part-time tutors are needed across the full range of management activities.
· The latest addition is International Blue Shield, aiming to provide rapid reaction teams when an unexpected threat emerges.· Conditions like these would likely trigger a rapid reaction.· The system efficiently delivered the rapid reaction force it was designed to produce.· Andrei Krestyaninov, a commander of an elite rapid reaction force leading the attack, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.· Developed countries speak of rapid reaction forces as the future of their military strategies.
· Get rapid responses to queries people raise in their staff meetings.· That kind of rapid response will not be available on the space station, because the shuttle will be docked.· This ideally matches the requirements of the servos and ensures a smooth and rapid response.· D.. Augment rapid response capabilities for vaccine delivery and expand evaluation of vaccine efficacy and the cost effectiveness of vaccination programs.· The gentle and yet rapid response that one achieves has to be experienced to be understood.· Duty and intake systems to detect incipient problems early and to provide a rapid response. 3.· Coun Hughes urged Mr Threlfall to consider a rapid response unit to deal with emergencies.· This allows a rapid response to any divergences from expectations and for counter action to be agreed.
· If there is surprise among outsiders at his rapid rise, within the bank it is seen as totally predictable.· Not even cool weather can stop the rapid rise of red numbers, or so it seems.· Her rapid rise to the top is well deserved and she does not suffer from having political labels stuck on her.· He had speculated, with good reason, on the rapid rise of the shares.· The iceberg is the result of a rapid rise in vehicle theft by young persons which goes back some time.· Underscoring the rapid rise of the group, Internet stocks are not yet measured by the Dow Jones industry groups.· This inpart reflects the recent very rapid rise in interest-bearing sterling deposits, due to high real interest rates.
· The rapid spread of small arms and light weapons facilitate the recruitment of child soldiers.· The result has been a rapid spread of unsightly buildings across the countryside.· All three factors are thought to have played a part in the rapid spread of the disease.
· That was the first wonderful release, others were to follow in rapid succession.· There, during an eight-year period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, large trees began dying in rapid succession.· Following him, there was a rapid succession of occupants.· When a user browses the Web, objects are retrieved in rapid succession from often widely dispersed servers.· Increasingly, the tendency is to work for a large number of companies in rapid succession.· I stood fearfully against a board as in rapid succession the knives flashed through the air and encircled my body.· Female red-legged partridges and Temminck's stints produce two clutches in very rapid succession.
· He was the chief architect in charge of the then-burgeoning rapid transit system - and it turns out he was also a painter.· These findings are consistent with decreased transit in the proximal and rapid transit through the sigmoid colon in patients with active colitis.· Historians have tended to overlook the possibilities of more rapid transit where the cargo concerned was profitable enough to merit it.· At least 150 miles of new rapid transit and underground railways are envisaged in the next 20 to 30 years.· Like some other rapid transit systems, this plan utilises only former and existing railway routes.
· Myddle parish saw nothing like the same rapid turnover of personnel.· A population of mice may yield up to six times its weight because of rapid turnover and high metabolism.· The effect of adversary politics in Britain is intensified by the rapid turnover of government personnel.· Those lymphocytes responsible for recall responses have a more rapid turnover, implying that long-lived memory is not maintained by long-lived T-lymphocytes.· They tend to rely on a rapid turnover of stock, to keep down inventory levels.· In tne fast food business, every second counts and a rapid turnover of customers is essential to maximise profit margins.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► shoot the rapids
happening or done very quickly and in a very short time: - He was walking along at a good clip, his eyes idly panning the facades of the brownstone houses.
- Up ahead, a thoroughfare Traffic was going across the intersection at a good clip in both directions.
The patient made a rapid recovery.rapid growth/expansion/development/increase rapid population growth a period of rapid decline He fired three times in rapid succession (=one after another).► see thesaurus at fast—rapidity /rəˈpɪdəti/ noun [uncountable]: Their debts mounted with alarming rapidity.COLLOCATIONSnounsrapid growth/expansion/development· The industry is experiencing rapid growth.a rapid increase/rise· The country cannot cope with a rapid increase in population.rapid change· The labour market has undergone a period of rapid change over the last few years.the rapid spread of something· Close contact between people resulted in the rapid spread of the disease.a rapid decline/deterioration· These parasites cause a rapid decline in the health of the fish.rapid progress· Both Tom and Victoria had made rapid progress under his guidance.a rapid response· He praised state health authorities for their rapid response to the crisis.phrasesat a rapid rate/pace· Deforestation is occurring at a rapid rate as a result of agricultural development.in rapid succession (=quickly, one after the other)· Pictures of a man were flashed upon the screen in rapid succession.