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precipitous

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
pre·cip·i·tous  (pr-sp-ts)
adj.
1. Resembling a precipice; extremely steep. See Synonyms at steep1.
2. Having several precipices: a precipitous bluff.
3. Usage Problem Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate: "The change has included a precipitous collapse of Communist authority" (New York Times). See Usage Note at precipitate.

[Probably from obsolete precipitious, from Latin praecipitium, precipice; see precipice.]

pre·cipi·tous·ly adv.
pre·cipi·tous·ness n.

precipitous [prɪˈsɪpɪtəs]
adj
1. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) resembling a precipice or characterized by precipices
2. very steep
3. hasty or precipitate
precipitously  adv
precipitousness  n
Usage: The use of precipitous to mean hasty is thought by some people to be incorrect
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.precipitous - 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"
2.precipitousprecipitous - extremely steep; "an abrupt canyon"; "the precipitous rapids of the upper river"; "the precipitous hills of Chinese paintings"; "a sharp drop"
steep - having a sharp inclination; "the steep attic stairs"; "steep cliffs"

precipitous
adjective
1. sheer, high, steep, dizzy, abrupt, perpendicular, falling sharply a steep, precipitous cliff
2. hasty, sudden, hurried, precipitate, abrupt, harum-scarum the stock market's precipitous drop
Translations
precipitous [prɪˈsɪpɪtəs] ADJ
1. (= steep) → escarpado, cortado a pico
2. (= hasty) → precipitado, apresurado

precipitous [prɪˈsɪpɪtəs] adj
(= steep) [cliff] → abrupt(e), à pic
(= sudden) [rise, drop] → vertigineux/euse
(= hasty) [decision] → précipité(e)

precipitous
adj
(= steep)steil
(= hasty)überstürzt

precipitous [prɪˈsɪpɪtəs] adj (slope, path) → a precipizio; (decision, action) → precipitoso/a
precipitous [prɪˈsɪpɪtəs] adj (slope, path) → a precipizio; (decision, action) → precipitoso/a

precipitous precipice


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Any one possessing a mile or two of secluded seaboard, cut off on the land side by precipitous approaches, and including a sheltered river mouth ingeniously hidden by nature, in the form of a jutting wall of rock, from the sea, might have made as good use of these natural opportunities as the nobleman in question, had they only been as wise and as rich.
Straight before us, rose two enormous mountains, the like of which are not, I believe, to be seen in Africa, if indeed there are any other such in the world, measuring each of them at least fifteen thousand feet in height, standing not more than a dozen miles apart, linked together by a precipitous cliff of rock, and towering in awful white solemnity straight into the sky.
The latter were precipitous, especially on the side of the plain, and chiefly in forest.
 
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