precipitatelyadv.
/prᵻˈsɪpᵻtətli/, U.S. /priˈsɪpədətli/, /prəˈsɪpədətli/ 1. With excessive hurry; without deliberation; rashly, hastily.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [adverb] > hastily or hurriedly > suddenly
ferlyc1000
rushinglya1425
rackly?a1500
precipitately1615
precipitiously1653
precipitantly1656
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [adverb] > hastily or hurriedly > foolishly or recklessly
belly-flaughtc1375
headlinga1398
headlingsc1400
hastilyc1405
hastlyc1425
overheadc1440
headilya1500
headlongc1500
ahead1530
headlongsc1540
precipitately1615
precipitantly1642
precipitously1646
precipitiously1653
splash-dash1807
ram-stam1808
rum-strum1827
1615 T. Worthington Whyte dyed Black 183 Do not thus precipitately and desperatly runne vpon the dinte of gods most dreadfull comminations & threates.
c1625 J. Smith Hist. Bermudaes (1882) 124 He had precipitately layd them out for himselfe without their lycence and approbation.
1676 G. Towerson Explic. Decalogue 517 A man may determine his will precipitately as well as considerately.
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. i. 22 A new War was as precipitately declared against France.
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield xviii That state of mind in which we all are more ready to act precipitately than to reason right.
1794 Reasons for National Penitence 13 We are partakers of their designs, if rashly and precipitately.
1807 T. Young Course Lect. Nat. Philos. I. v. 46 A familiar proverb..cautions us against being led away too precipitately by an appearance of brevity and facility.
1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iii. v. 39 A little vexed..that she had spoken precipitately.
1956 A. J. Cronin Crusader's Tomb 187 Stephen spoke precipitately, desperate to come to the point.
1987 A. S. Byatt Sugar 59 I shall start again. Not precipitately: I need to think things out.
2.
a. With a rapid fall or descent; straight downwards, headlong. Now chiefly figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > falling > [adverb] > steeply (of fall)
precipitately1621
precipitantly1640
1621 P. Heylyn Microcosmus 414 Snow falling from the mountaines: which in the heat of the day melteth into waters, and are precipitately carried to the Sea.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. ix. 392 An outragious Torrent; which precipitately deualleth.
1709 D. Manley Secret Mem. 7 The Soldier..[and] Statesman, ever trembling to descend a heighth where they can scarce maintain themselves from precipitately falling.
1762 P. Murdoch tr. A. F. Büsching New Syst. Geogr. I. 236 By means of this..they secure themselves from falling precipitately upon the rocks when they dive to the bottom of the sea.
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin I. xvii. 286 Marks, heading the retreat down the rocks.., while all the party came tumbling precipitately after him.
1927 Sunday Express 23 Oct. 5/1 A herring becomes an ‘overday’ if not sold within twelve hours of leaving the water, and its price drops precipitately.
1997 I. Sinclair Lights out for Territory (1998) 97 Cocky columns of green figures drizzled precipitately from the screens: ancient forests, with their fossil hoards of weather memory, crashed to the ground.
b. As or like a precipice; steeply, vertically, precipitously.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > high land > slope > [adverb] > steeply
steep1548
abruptly1623
precipitously1659
steeply1772
precipitately1794
1794 J. Lettice Lett. Tour Scotl. xviii. 319 The base of these mountains runs down precipitately into the water of Lochiel.
1823 F. Clissold Narr. Ascent Mont Blanc 19 From the heights of the mountain, which precipitately rise above this Plateau, immense avalanches often descend.
1871 W. Black Daughter of Heth I. xviii. 281 The great masses of tumbled rock that here form the coast line appeared to go precipitately down into the sea.
a1916 J. London Red One in Red One (1918) 14 A mouth that sagged from a huge upper lip and faded precipitately into a retreating chin.
1992 N.Y. Times 4 Mar. c1/3 A stylist..made a model's hair stand straight up and then drop precipitately, like a ski slope.
3. With rapid movement, at great speed; suddenly, abruptly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adverb] > headlong
swireforthc825
a-randounc1380
headlya1425
headlongsc1540
eavelong1567
headlong1576
rank1590
headlongly1595
precipitously1626
neck-break1631
precipitantly1656
precipitately1728
precipitatedly1770
torrentially1882
slap-dab1886
1728 J. Morgan Compl. Hist. Algiers I. v. 300 The Emperor himself was forced, precipitately, to come down from the Mountain.
1778 F. Burney Evelina II. xii. 95 Rushing precipitately into the room.
1826 J. F. Cooper Last of Mohicans II. ii. 27 They fled precipitately before the passage of some intruders on their proper domains.
1875 C. Clery Minor Tactics xiv. 177 If the rearguard be attacked precipitately by the first troops that arrive.
1935 Amer. Girl July 19/1 Lurking trigger fish shoot precipitately off into the safety of watery distances.
1961 E. Waugh Unconditional Surrender (1964) i. iv. 53 Without apology or a word of farewell..he made precipitately for the stairs.
1985 J. McDougall Theatres of Mind (1986) ii. 42 She precipitately rushed back to her automobile..and raced off.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2007; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adv.1615