quick-firer

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   historical: a gun designed to fire rounds in rapid succession, especially a late-nineteenth- or early-twentieth-century naval or field gun

   The destroyer carried several quick-firers to defend itself against torpedo boats.

Formed in the late nineteenth century from quick-fire + -er, with -er naming a device rather than a person. Quick-fire described the new artillery that could be reloaded and aimed rapidly enough to fire repeated rounds, notably the naval guns developed to counter fast torpedo boats.

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