pre·cip·i·tate (pr -sp -t t )v. pre·cip·i·tat·ed, pre·cip·i·tat·ing, pre·cip·i·tates v.tr.1. To throw from or as if from a great height; hurl downward: "The finest bridge in all Peru broke and precipitated five travelers into the gulf below" Thornton Wilder. 2. To cause to happen, especially suddenly or prematurely. See Synonyms at speed. 3. Meteorology To cause (water vapor) to condense and fall from the air as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. 4. Chemistry To cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution. v.intr.1. Meteorology To condense and fall from the air as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. 2. Chemistry To be separated from a solution as a solid. 3. To fall or be thrown headlong: an ailing economy that precipitated into ruin despite foreign intervention. adj. (-tt)1. Moving rapidly and heedlessly; speeding headlong. 2. Acting with or marked by excessive haste and lack of due deliberation. See Synonyms at impetuous, reckless. 3. Occurring suddenly or unexpectedly. n. (-tt, -tt)1. Chemistry A solid or solid phase separated from a solution. 2. A product resulting from a process, event, or course of action.
[Latin praecipitre, praecipitt-, to throw headlong, from praeceps, praecipit-, headlong : prae-, pre- + caput, capit-, head; see kaput- in Indo-European roots.]
pre·cipi·tate·ly (-tt-l ) adv. pre·cipi·tate·ness n. pre·cipi·tative adj. pre·cipi·tator n. Usage Note: The adjective precipitate and the adverb precipitately were once applied to physical steepness but are now used primarily of rash, headlong actions: Their precipitate entry into the foreign markets led to disaster. He withdrew precipitately from the race. Precipitous currently means "steep" in both literal and figurative senses: the precipitous rapids of the upper river; a precipitous drop in commodity prices. But precipitous and precipitously are also frequently used to mean "abrupt, hasty," which takes them into territory that would ordinarily belong to precipitate and precipitately: their precipitous decision to leave. This usage is a natural extension of the use of precipitous to describe a rise or fall in a quantity over time: a precipitous increase in reports of measles is also an abrupt or sudden event. Though this extended use of precipitous is well attested in the work of reputable writers, it is still widely regarded as an error. |
precipitate Verb [-tating, -tated] 1. to cause to happen earlier than expected: the scandal could bring the government down, precipitating a general election 2. to condense or cause to condense and fall as snow or rain 3. Chem to cause to be deposited in solid form from a solution 4. to throw from a height: the encircled soldiers chose to precipitate themselves into the ocean Adjective 1. done rashly or hastily 2. rushing ahead Noun Chem a precipitated solid [Latin praecipitare to throw down headlong]
precipitateVerb2. To fall from the atmosphere as rain, snow, or another form of precipitation. 3. To separate as a solid from a solution in chemical precipitation. Noun2. A solid material precipitated from a solution. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  precipitate - a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filteringsludge - the precipitate produced by sewage treatment solid - matter that is solid at room temperature and pressure | | Verb | 1. | precipitate - bring about abruptly; "The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution" | | 2. | precipitate - separate as a fine suspension of solid particleschange state, turn - undergo a transformation or a change of position or action; "We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the election" | | 3. | precipitate - fall from clouds; "rain, snow and sleet were falling"; "Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum"fall - descend in free fall under the influence of gravity; "The branch fell from the tree"; "The unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse" rain, rain down - precipitate as rain; "If it rains much more, we can expect some flooding" spat - come down like raindrops; "Bullets were spatting down on us" snow - fall as snow; "It was snowing all night" hail - precipitate as small ice particles; "It hailed for an hour" sleet - precipitate as a mixture of rain and snow; "If the temperature rises above freezing, it will probably sleet" | | 4. | precipitate - fall vertically, sharply, or headlong; "Our economy precipitated into complete ruin"come down, descend, go down, fall - move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way; "The temperature is going down"; "The barometer is falling"; "The curtain fell on the diva"; "Her hand went up and then fell again" | | 5. | precipitate - hurl or throw violently; "The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below" | | Adj. | 1. | precipitate - 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"hurried - moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste; "a hurried trip to the store"; "the hurried life of a city"; "a hurried job" |
precipitate verb 1. quicken, trigger, accelerate, further, press, advance, hurry, dispatch, speed up, bring on, hasten, push forward, expedite adjective 3. hasty, hurried, frantic, rash, reckless, impulsive, madcap, ill-advised, precipitous, impetuous, indiscreet, heedless, harum-scarum adjective 4. sudden, quick, brief, rushing, violent, plunging, rapid, unexpected, swift, abrupt, without warning, headlong, breakneck  Translations precipitate adj [prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt] (= hasty) → precipitado
 precipitate [prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt] adj (= hasty) → précipité(e)
 precipitate vt [prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt]adj [prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt] vt [+ event] → heraufbeschwören
 precipitate adj [prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt] (= hasty) → precipitoso/a
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precipitative
