precipitate

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English

WOTD – 29 November 2007

Alternative forms

Etymology 1

From Latin praecipitatus, from praecipitō (“throw down, hurl down, throw headlong”), from praeceps (“head foremost, headlong”), from prae (“before”) + caput (“head”).

Pronunciation

Verb:

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/, /pɹəˈsɪpɪteɪt/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective:

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɹɪˈsɪpɪtət/, /pɹəˈsɪpɪtət/
  • Audio (US):(file)

common but often proscribed:

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/, /pɹəˈsɪpɪteɪt/
  • Audio (AU):(file)

Verb

precipitate (third-person singular simple present precipitates, present participle precipitating, simple past and past participle precipitated)

  1. (transitive) To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
    Synonyms: advance, accelerate, hasten, speed up
    to precipitate a journey, or a conflict
    it precipitated their success
    • 1737, Richard Glover, Leonidas Book 4
      Back to his sight precipitates her steps.
    • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Ambition”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
      if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous
  2. (transitive) To throw an object or person from a great height.
    Synonyms: throw, fling, cast; see also Thesaurus:throw
    • 1822 May 21, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Hawking”, in Bracebridge Hall, or The Humourists. A Medley. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 182:
      In gallopping heedlessly along, with her eyes turned upwards, she had unwarily approached too near the bank; it had given way with her, and she and her horse had been precipitated to the pebbled margin of the river.
  3. (transitive) To send violently into a certain state or condition.
    we were precipitated into a conflict
  4. (intransitive, chemistry) To come out of a liquid solution into solid form.
    Adding the acid will cause the salt to precipitate.
  5. (transitive, chemistry) To separate a substance out of a liquid solution into solid form.
  6. (intransitive, meteorology) To have water in the air fall to the ground, for example as rain, snow, sleet, or hail; be deposited as condensed droplets.
    Troponyms: rain, snow, hail
    It will precipitate tomorrow, but we don't know whether as rain or snow.
  7. (transitive) To cause (water in the air) to condense or fall to the ground.
  8. (intransitive) To fall headlong.
  9. (intransitive) To act too hastily; to be precipitous.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Adjective

precipitate (comparative more precipitate, superlative most precipitate)

  1. headlong; falling steeply or vertically.
    • 1718, Matthew Prior, Solomon, book 2, lines 853–854:
      When the full stores their ancient bounds disdain, / Precipitate the furious torrent flows.
    Synonyms: headlong, precipitant, precipitous
  2. Very steep; precipitous.
    Synonym: brant
  3. With a hasty impulse; hurried; headstrong.
    • 1842, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Lady Anne Granard, volume 1, page 145:
      Though thoughtful far beyond your years, you are very inexperienced; and I would not have a preference that may originate in your little knowledge of others, or a romantic exaggeration of slight kindnesses, lead you into a precipitate union with me, unless you most seriously examine your own heart, and weigh the various consequences.
    Synonyms: hotheaded, impetuous, rash; see also Thesaurus:reckless
  4. Moving with excessive speed or haste; overly hasty.
    The king was too precipitate in declaring war.
    a precipitate case of disease
    • 1926, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Land of Mist‎[1]:
      'One moment!" said Malone. "I beg, sir, that you will not be precipitate. I value your friendship too much to risk the loss of it if it can, in any way, be avoided."
  5. Performed very rapidly or abruptly.
    Synonyms: abrupt, precipitous, subitaneous; see also Thesaurus:sudden
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From New Latin praecipitatum. Doublet of precipitato.

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɹɪˈsɪpɪtət/, /pɹəˈsɪpɪtət/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /pɹɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/, /pɹəˈsɪpɪteɪt/

Noun

precipitate (plural precipitates)

  1. a product resulting from a process, event, or course of action
    • 1975, Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift [Avon ed., 1976, p. 381]:
      As for the musculature it is a precipitate of Spirit and the signature of the cosmos is in it.
  2. (chemistry) a solid that exits the liquid phase of a solution
Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Italian

Etymology 1

Adjective

precipitate f pl

  1. feminine plural of precipitato

Participle

precipitate f pl

  1. feminine plural of precipitato

Etymology 2

Verb

precipitate

  1. inflection of precipitare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative
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