Link Centre Dictionary

precipitate

pre·ci·pi·tate

US/pɹɪˈsɪpɪtət/ rare

verb

1.

separate as a fine suspension of solid particles

2.

bring about abruptly

  • “The crisis precipitated by Russia”
3.

fall from clouds

  • “rain, snow and sleet were falling”
  • “Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum”
4.

fall vertically, sharply, or headlong

  • “Our economy precipitated into complete ruin”
5.

hurl or throw violently

  • “The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below”

noun

1.

a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering

adjective

1.

done with very great haste and without due deliberation

  • “hasty marriage seldom proveth well” Shakespeare
  • “hasty makeshifts take the place of planning” Arthur Geddes
  • “rejected what was regarded as an overhasty plan for reconversion”
  • “wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king”

Origin

From Latin praecipitātus, perfect passive participle of praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”) (praecipit- in its oblique stem), from prae (“before”) + -ceps (“headed”).

Phrases

  • red precipitate
  • white precipitate
  • yellow precipitate

Related words

Related verbs

Entails

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.