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precipitate - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'precipitate' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Precipitate [ a.]
- Overhasty; rash; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war.
- Lacking due deliberation or care; hurried; said or done before the time; as, a precipitate measure.
- Falling, flowing, or rushing, with steep descent; headlong.
- Ending quickly in death; brief and fatal; as, a precipitate case of disease.
2 . Precipitate [ n.]
- An insoluble substance separated from a solution in a concrete state by the action of some reagent added to the solution, or of some force, such as heat or cold. The precipitate may fall to the bottom (whence the name), may be diffused through the solution, or may float at or near the surface.
3 . Precipitate [ v. i.]
- To dash or fall headlong.
- To hasten without preparation.
- To separate from a solution as a precipitate. See Precipitate, n.
4 . Precipitate [ v. t.]
- To throw headlong; to cast down from a precipice or height.
- To urge or press on with eager haste or violence; to cause to happen, or come to a crisis, suddenly or too soon; as, precipitate a journey, or a conflict.
- To separate from a solution, or other medium, in the form of a precipitate; as, water precipitates camphor when in solution with alcohol.

Meaning of 'precipitate' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . precipitate [ v]
Meaning (1):
- fall vertically, sharply, or headlong
Example in sentence:
  • Our economy precipitated into complete ruin
Meaning (2):
- fall from clouds
Example in sentence:
  • rain, snow and sleet were falling;
  • Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum
Meaning (3):
- hurl or throw violently
Example in sentence:
  • The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below
Meaning (4):
- bring about abruptly
Example in sentence:
  • The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution
5 . precipitate [ s]
Meaning (5):
- done with very great haste and without due deliberation
Example in sentence:
  • hasty makeshifts take the place of planning;
  • hasty marriage seldom proveth well;
  • rejected what was regarded as an overhasty plan for reconversion;
  • wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king

Nearby Words:

pre- preaccusation preace preach preached preacher preachership preachify preaching preachman

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