rapid-fire

the compound 'rapid-fire' is a modern formation, originating in the late 19th century to describe the mechanical action of firearms capable of discharging shots in swift succession. the adjective 'rapid' derives from the latin 'rapere', meaning 'to seize or carry off', which evolved to signify speed. coupled with 'fire', a word of proto-germanic origin for combustion and later for the act of shooting, the term literally means 'fast shooting'. this literal sense was then logically extended into broader figurative use to characterize any rapid, relentless sequence, such as questions or events, mirroring the relentless pace of automatic weaponry.

Structure: rapid (fast) + fire (to shoot) 'rapid' is from latin 'rapidus' (seizing, swift), functioning as the descriptive base. 'fire' is from old english 'fȳr' (fire), here used in its verbal sense meaning 'to discharge a weapon', functioning as the action being modified.