Definition of PRECIPITATE

precipitate

Plural: precipitates

Noun

  • a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering
  • A product resulting from a process, event, or course of action.
  • A solid that exits the liquid phase of a solution.

Verb

  • bring about abruptly
    • "The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution"
  • separate as a fine suspension of solid particles
  • fall from clouds
    • "Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum"
  • fall vertically, sharply, or headlong
    • "Our economy precipitated into complete ruin"
  • hurl or throw violently
    • "The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below"
  • To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
  • To throw an object or person from a great height.
  • To send violently into a certain state or condition.
  • (chemistry) To come out of a liquid solution into solid form.
  • (chemistry) To separate a substance out of a liquid solution into solid form.
  • To have water in the air fall to the ground, for example as rain, snow, sleet, or hail; be deposited as condensed droplets.
  • To cause (water in the air) to condense or fall to the ground.
  • To fall headlong.
  • To act too hastily; to be precipitous.

Adjective Satellite

  • done with very great haste and without due deliberation; - Shakespeare; - Arthur Geddes
    • "wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king"

Adj

  • headlong; falling steeply or vertically.
  • Very steep; precipitous.
  • With a hasty impulse; hurried; headstrong.
  • Moving with excessive speed or haste; overly hasty.
  • Performed very rapidly or abruptly.

Examples

  • a precipitate case of disease
  • Adding the acid will cause the salt to precipitate.
  • Back to his sight precipitates her steps.
  • it precipitated their success
  • It will precipitate tomorrow, but we don't know whether as rain or snow.
  • The king was too precipitate in declaring war.
  • to precipitate a journey, or a conflict
  • we were precipitated into a conflict

Origin / Etymology

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”).

Scrabble Score: 17

precipitate: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
precipitate: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
precipitate: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 20

precipitate: valid Words With Friends Word