Rapids are the stretch where a river runs fast over rocks. Shoot the rapids, grade four rapids, the roar of the rapids.
They are graded from one to six, and grade six means not navigable rather than merely hard. It is a plural-only word in this sense. Shooting them means running through in a boat rather than portaging around.
1nounrapidsThe stretch where a river runs fast over rocks.
“Our raft bounced over the rapids, and we all got soaked.”
rapids is a stretch of river.
Latin
rapidus
Middle French
rapide
English
rapid
English, today
rapids
rapid Borrowed from Middle French rapide, from Latin rapidus. Borrowed from Middle French rapide and its etymon Latin rapidus.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA