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MUSCOVITE Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
fast-quick-rapid
Hi,
As far as I know, see these three adjectives are often interchangeable. On the other hand, there are word combinations (collocations?) where we cannot use these adjectives interchangeably, can we?
For example, "quick silver" is ok whereas "fast/rapid silver" is just gobbledygook even to native speakers?
Another example. You say "a rapid-fire gun" and "a rapid transit system" but never "a fast-fire gun" or "quick transit"?
I am looking for a list of collocations ( quick/fast/rapid+NOUN) similar to the examples given above. The longer the list the better.
Could somebody please give me more examples of this kind ...just off the top of your head?
Thank you!
mus-te
P.S. I sometimes use COCA (the Corpus of the contamporary AmEng) when I need to check some collocations.
I wonder if it is possible to "automate" the search process using COCA's user interface/options? How to "make" COCA automatically report all (real!) collocations (not just occasional word combinations!) looking like let's say "rapid + NOUN"? Is that doable at all?
As far as I know, see these three adjectives are often interchangeable. On the other hand, there are word combinations (collocations?) where we cannot use these adjectives interchangeably, can we?
For example, "quick silver" is ok whereas "fast/rapid silver" is just gobbledygook even to native speakers?
Another example. You say "a rapid-fire gun" and "a rapid transit system" but never "a fast-fire gun" or "quick transit"?
I am looking for a list of collocations ( quick/fast/rapid+NOUN) similar to the examples given above. The longer the list the better.
Could somebody please give me more examples of this kind ...just off the top of your head?
Thank you!
mus-te
P.S. I sometimes use COCA (the Corpus of the contamporary AmEng) when I need to check some collocations.
I wonder if it is possible to "automate" the search process using COCA's user interface/options? How to "make" COCA automatically report all (real!) collocations (not just occasional word combinations!) looking like let's say "rapid + NOUN"? Is that doable at all?
Top answer
First, it's quicksilver (one word). Offhand, I can't think of any collocations where quick would work and the others won't. Still, people will usually say things like "fast lane", "speedy recovery", "rapid decline" etc.
- First, it's quicksilver (one word).
- Offhand, I can't think of any collocations where quick would work and the others won't.
- Still, people will usually say things like "fast lane", "speedy recovery", "rapid decline" etc.
- quick is the only choice in the construction be quick to do something.
- We are so quick to make a decision about.....
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4 Answers
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First, it's quicksilver (one word). Offhand, I can't think of any collocations where quick would work and the others won't. Still, people will usually say things like "fast lane", "speedy recovery", "rapid decline" etc.
quick is the only choice in the construction be quick to do something.
We are so quick to make a decision about..... (the others won'
quick is the only choice in the construction be quick to do something.
We are so quick to make a decision about..... (the others won'
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Thanks for your reply, Ivanhr!
(1) My watch is two minutes fast.
Only fast can be used in this context? ( The other two adjectives wont work here I guess?)
(2) Which of the following versions sound natural to you?
(1) My watch is two minutes fast.
Only fast can be used in this context? ( The other two adjectives wont work here I guess?)
(2) Which of the following versions sound natural to you?
- a fast rocket/airplane
- a quick rocket/airplane
- a rapid rocket/airplane
Ivanhr
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MUSCOVITE(1) My watch is two minutes fast.Only fast can be used in this context? ( The other two adjectives wont work here I guess?)Yes.
MUSCOVITE2) Which of the following versions sound natural to you?a fast rocket/airplanea quick rocket/airplanea rapid rocket/airplaneI'd use only the one with fast.
MUSCO
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