| 释义 |
▪ I. precipice, n.|ˈprɛsɪpɪs|
Also 7 præ-, (8 pri-).
[= F. précipice (16th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), ad. L. præcipitium a falling headlong, a steep place, precipice, f. præceps, -cipit- headlong, steep, precipitous, or f. præcipitāre to throw headlong: cf. hospitium, occipitium, flāgitium.]
†1. A precipitate or headlong fall or descent, esp. to a great depth. Also fig. Obs.
1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. ii. iii, Precedents, which are strong, And swift, to rape youth to their precipice. 1626Bacon Sylva §880 There it moveth more Swiftly, and more in Præcipice; For in the breaking of the Waves there is ever a Præcipice. 1632Massinger Maid of Hon. v. i, His precipice from goodness raising mine, And serving as a foil to set my faith off. 1635Hakewill Apol. v. 24, I much marvell how you will accord it with her [i.e. Nature's] wholly inclining and præcipice to corruption. 1650Fuller Pisgah ii. ii. 81 Souldiers in the Precipice of their passion being sensible of no other stop but the bottome.
2. A vertical or very steep face of rock, etc.; a cliff, crag, or steep mountain side of considerable height.
1632Sir T. Hawkins tr. Mathieu's Unhappy Prosperitie 116 When he shall arrive on the top, he shall finde nothing but danger, and round about him a gaping precipice. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 146 The other side of this high hill is a precipice, downe which is no descending. 1681Dryden Spanish Friar i. i, A Torrent, rowling down a Precipice. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. 95 To remove my Tent from the Place where it stood, which was just under the hanging Precipice of the Hill. 1856Ruskin Mod. Paint. IV. v. xvi. §1, I mean by a true precipice, one by which a plumbline will swing clear, or without touching the face of it, if suspended from a point a foot or two beyond the brow.
†b. The edge or brink of a cliff. Obs.
1644Evelyn Diary 30 June, The ruines of an old..Castle..built..on the precipice of a dreadfull cliff.
c. fig. A perilous situation; a hazardous position.
1651tr. De-las-Coveras' Don Fenise 266 You have not seen the precipices which environ beauty. 1692tr. Sallust 324 For my own part, whose years are near the Precipice of death, I do not wish one minute longer of Life. 1795tr. Mercier's Fragm. Pol. & Hist. II. 134 Thus mankind wishing to avoid one precipice, fall into another.
†3. transf. (?) Precipitousness, loftiness as of a precipice. Obs.
1672Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 64 After he was stretch'd to such an height in his own fancy, that he could not look down from top to toe but his Eyes dazled at the Precipice of his Stature.
4. Comb., as precipice-edge, precipice-wall; precipice-writing adj.
1836–48B. D. Walsh Aristoph., Clouds v. ii, An incoherent, mouthing, loud, Harsh, precipice-writing fellow. 1898G. Meredith Odes Fr. Hist. 85 The patience clasped, totters hard on the precipice-edge.
▪ II. † ˈprecipice, v. Obs. rare.
[f. precipice n.]
trans. To dash down headlong; to precipitate.
1654Z. Coke Logick Pref., Some of them..(Elevated on the wings of their Ambitions) were most ingloriously dasht and precipic'd. |