Rapid-firing

Rapid-firing
Rapid-fire Rap"id-fire`, Rapid-firing Rap"id-fir`ing, a. (a) (Gun.) Firing shots in rapid succession. (b) (Ordnance) Capable of being fired rapidly; -- applied to single-barreled guns of greater caliber than small arms, mounted so as to be quickly trained and elevated, with a quick-acting breech mechanism operated by a single motion of a crank or lever (abbr. R. F.); specif.: (1) In the United States navy, designating such a gun using fixed ammunition or metallic cartridge cases; -- distinguished from breech-loading (abbr. B. L.), applied to all guns loading with the charge in bags, and formerly from quick-fire. Rapid-fire guns in the navy also sometimes include automatic or semiautomatic rapid-fire guns; the former being automatic guns of not less than one inch caliber, firing a shell of not less than one pound weight, the explosion of each cartridge operating the mechanism for ejecting the empty shell, loading, and firing the next shot, the latter being guns that require one operation of the hand at each discharge, to load the gun. (2) In the United States army, designating such a gun, whether using fixed or separate ammunition, designed chiefly for use in coast batteries against torpedo vessels and the lightly armored batteries or other war vessels and for the protection of defensive mine fields; -- not distinguished from quick-fire. (3) In Great Britain and Europe used, rarely, as synonymous with quick-fire. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Rapid-fire — Rap id fire , Rapid firing Rap id fir ing, a. (a) (Gun.) Firing shots in rapid succession. (b) (Ordnance) Capable of being fired rapidly; applied to single barreled guns of greater caliber than small arms, mounted so as to be quickly trained and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rapid-fire — /ˈræpəd faɪə/ (say rapuhd fuyuh) adjective 1. characterised by or delivered or occurring in rapid procedure, especially in speech: rapid fire questions. 2. Gunnery denoting or relating to any of various mounted guns of moderate calibre which can… …  

  • rapid-fire — [rap′id fīr′] adj. 1. firing or capable of firing shots in rapid succession: said of guns 2. done, delivered, proceeding, or carried on swiftly and sharply [rapid fire talk] …   English World dictionary

  • rapid-fire — | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ adjective Etymology: rapid fire 1. : firing or adapted for firing shots in rapid succession 2. : proceeding with or characterized by rapidity, liveliness, or sharpness a rapid fire cross examination …   Useful english dictionary

  • rapid-fire — adjective Date: 1890 1. firing or adapted for firing shots in rapid succession 2. marked by rapidity, liveliness, or sharpness < a comedian with a rapid fire delivery > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • rapid fire — noun : a class of rifle fire in which a time limit is set for completing the required number of shots * * * Mil. a rate of firing small arms that is intermediate between slow fire and quick fire. * * * rapid fire noun The firing of guns, asking… …   Useful english dictionary

  • rapid-fire gun — greitašaudis pabūklas statusas T sritis Gynyba apibrėžtis Automatinis (pusiau automatinis) pabūklas, turintis didelę greitašaudą (dešimtys šimtai šūvių/min). Visi zenitiniai ir kai kurie prieštankiniai pabūklai yra greitašaudžiai. atitikmenys:… …   Artilerijos terminų žodynas

  • rapid fire — Mil. a rate of firing small arms that is intermediate between slow fire and quick fire. * * * …   Universalium

  • firing — Synonyms and related words: afflatus, agitation, alcohol, animating spirit, animation, animus, antiaircraft fire, archery, arousal, benzine, briquette, burnable, butane, carbon, cashiering, casting, charcoal, chucking, coal, coke, combustible,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • rapid fire — /ræpəd ˈfaɪə/ (say rapuhd fuyuh) noun fast firing, as used against a moving target …  

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