spitfire

Etymology
A compound of

Noun

 * 1) A cannon.
 * 2) A person with a fiery temper, someone easily provoked to anger, especially a woman or girl.
 * 3) * 1801, Peter Viereck, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin., Volume ⅩⅠⅠⅠ, by John Nichols (arranged by Thomas Sheridan), p. 143, published in London
 * "―But however provoked, are your scribbling spitfires never to be satisfied?"