precipitate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly.
to precipitate an international crisis.
- Synonyms:
- accelerate
- Antonyms:
- retard
-
to cast down headlong; fling or hurl down.
-
to cast, plunge, or send, especially violently or abruptly.
He precipitated himself into the struggle.
-
Chemistry. to separate (a substance) in solid form from a solution, as by means of a reagent.
- Synonyms:
- crystallize
verb (used without object)
-
Meteorology. to fall to the earth's surface as a condensed form of water; to rain, snow, hail, drizzle, etc.
-
to separate from a solution as a precipitate.
-
to be cast or thrown down headlong.
adjective
-
a precipitate fall down the stairs.
-
rushing headlong or rapidly onward.
-
proceeding rapidly or with great haste.
a precipitate retreat.
-
exceedingly sudden or abrupt.
a precipitate stop; a precipitate decision.
-
done or made without sufficient deliberation; overhasty; rash.
a precipitate marriage.
- Antonyms:
- careful
noun
-
Chemistry. a substance precipitated from a solution.
-
moisture condensed in the form of rain, snow, etc.
verb
-
(tr) to cause to happen too soon or sooner than expected; bring on
-
to throw or fall from or as from a height
-
to cause (moisture) to condense and fall as snow, rain, etc, or (of moisture, rain, etc) to condense and fall thus
-
chem to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a dissolved substance separates from solution as a fine suspension of solid particles
adjective
-
rushing ahead
-
done rashly or with undue haste
-
sudden and brief
noun
-
To fall from the atmosphere as rain, snow, or another form of precipitation.
-
To separate as a solid from a solution in chemical precipitation.
Other Word Forms
- nonprecipitative adjective
- precipitability noun
- precipitable adjective
- precipitately adverb
- precipitateness noun
- precipitative adjective
- precipitator noun
- unprecipitate adjective
- unprecipitately adverb
- unprecipitateness noun
- unprecipitative adjective
- unprecipitatively adverb
Etymology
Origin of precipitate
First recorded in 1520–30; the verb and adjective derive from Latin praecipitātus (past participle of praecipitāre “to cast down headlong”), equivalent to praecipit- (stem of praeceps “steep”; precipice ) + -ātus past participle suffix ( -ate 1 ); the noun comes from New Latin praecipitātum “a precipitate,” noun use of neuter of praecipitātus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
IC: Is there anything specifically that precipitated you being ready?
From Los Angeles Times
Science fiction bursts at the seams with bizarre extinction scenarios, usually delivered from space, like the one that precipitates Carol’s irritating life turn.
From Salon
That’s probably good short-term news for investors, since falling profit margins would precipitate a severe bear market.
From MarketWatch
The outcome precipitated Vermeil’s departure for the Philadelphia Eagles and marked Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes’ final appearance in the Rose Bowl.
From Los Angeles Times
The full story of what exactly precipitated the downfall of the BBC's director general and his CEO of News is probably still emerging.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
