| acute |
of a disease, occurring suddenly, then rapidly progressing to a peak and coming shortly to an end. (Cf. chronic.) [1/7 definitions] |
| arpeggio |
the playing of each note in a musical chord rapidly, one after the other rather than simultaneously. [1/2 definitions] |
| back-pedal |
in boxing, to move rapidly backward from one's opponent. [1/3 definitions] |
| ball lightning |
a rare form of lightning manifested in the form of a glowing reddish ball, approximately six inches to a foot in diameter, that moves rapidly along the ground or in the air until it disintegrates. |
| balloon |
to increase rapidly. [1/8 definitions] |
| barrage |
an overwhelming quantity of things following one another rapidly. [1/3 definitions] |
| beat |
to stir rapidly. [1/15 definitions] |
| betatron |
in physics, an electron accelerator in which the speed of the electrons is increased to high energies, from a few million to a few hundred million electron volts, by the action of a rapidly changing magnetic field. |
| blaze1 |
to shoot firearms rapidly and steadily. [1/6 definitions] |
| bob1 |
to jerk down and up or nod rapidly. [1/4 definitions] |
| bomb cyclone |
a cyclone that rapidly intensifies in areas outside of the tropics. A bomb cyclone may bring with it a vast amount of snow or rain over an area. |
| boom1 |
to grow rapidly or flourish, esp. economically. [2/7 definitions] |
| break |
to move away suddenly and rapidly. [1/26 definitions] |
| breakaway |
in certain sports, of or designating a play in which one player moves rapidly down the playing area with the potential to score, as in a basketball fast break. [1/6 definitions] |
| bungee jumping |
a recreational activity in which a person harnessed to the end of a long, anchored, elasticized rope, or bungee, steps off a height, rapidly drops hundreds of feet in the air, then bounces up and back down, repeatedly, while the movement gradually slows to a stop. |
| bustle1 |
to move rapidly and energetically (often fol. by "about"). [1/3 definitions] |
| chatter |
to speak rapidly and without important content; jabber. [2/7 definitions] |
| churn out |
to produce or manufacture rapidly or in large quantity. |
| clack |
to speak rapidly or incessantly, esp. of unimportant matters; chatter. [1/8 definitions] |
| clip1 |
to pronounce precisely and rapidly, leaving out some sounds. [1/11 definitions] |
| clipped |
of speech, rapidly articulated so as to omit certain sounds. |