precipitouslyadv.

1626 J. Florio et al. tr. T. Boccalini New-found Politicke ii. iv. 125 What hindred them from running precipitously [It. precipitosamente] to the acquisition of all Italie?

1632 H. Hawkins tr. G. P. Maffei Fuga Sæculi 335 And being told they mainteyned themselues with that same [filthy] water, wherewith they were more precipitously caried away.

1703 tr. Plutarch Lives I. 592 The Romans,..seeing the Fire on the sudden dispersing it self on every side,..in great fright and amazement, quitted their Post, and precipitously retired to their Camp on the Hills.

1788 W. Black Compar. View Mortality Human Species 214 By the epileptic whirlwind the patient is suddenly and precipitously thrown down, with suspension of the internal and external senses.

1812 J. Galt Lady Macbeth ii. viii, in Trag. 138 The fierce Donalds..Are seen by all the wardens on the walls Precipitously hurrying to the foe.

1864 Ld. Tennyson Boadicea 58 Till the victim hear within and yearn to hurry precipitously Like the leaf in a roaring whirlwind, like the smoke in a hurricane whirl'd.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. xxi. 162 The long continuation..without any visible food, which some observing precipitously conclude they [sc. chameleons] eate not any at all. View more context for this quotation

1673 H. Stubbe Further Iustification War against Netherlands 17 Neither is it providential for a weak Prince..to run Precipitously into a War.

1701 T. Baker Humour of Age v. i. 58 My Thoughts too precipitously strive for utterance, and confuse my Words.

1730 J. Dennis tr. T. Burnet Treat. conc. State Departed Souls 289 The more modern Millennaries, who..make too much Haste, and by their immoderate Heat bring the Kingdom of Christ precipitously down upon this Earth.

1731 E. Aspinwall Apology i. 4 If..they wou'd not first precipitously resolve..reveal'd Religion to be all a Farce..and then set themselves to work by ransacking the very worst, the very scum of Authors to support and keep in countenance this so strange and blind a Resolution, the bright Rays of the Divine Doctrines would find a more easy passage into their hearts and minds.

1826 Times 8 Sept. 2/6 The payment of legacy duties was enforced so precipitously that the successors were frequently distressed and puzzled how to raise the money.

1845 T. B. Read Paul Redding ix. 84 He..plunged headlong into a coffee-house, where he was pretty certain of finding his friend, Mr. Inkleton; he seized and dragged that poetical gentleman precipitously away.

1892 Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening News 5 Mar. 8/2 He did not finish this sentence. Instead he fled from the room precipitously.

1915 R. Frost Lett. (1965) 152 I had intended to see you before leaving but at the last moment we go rather precipitously.

1987 V. Glendinning Rebecca West i. xi. 41 She departed precipitously, without taking salary due to her.

1659 R. Brathwait Panthalia 174 It has been much wondred at..how her Husband..should so precipitously fall from such an height of Command, into so deep a gulph of misery.

1790 P. Peckard Mem. Life Mr. Nicholas Ferrar 55 The passage down the hill was extremely narrow, on one side very high and precipitous above him, and on the other also precipitously steep and fearful.

1798 H. Skrine Two Tours Wales i. vi. 134 A rapid stream rushes from the mountains..and falls precipitously into the Wye.

1816 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Canto III lxxxvi. 48 Darken'd Jura, whose capt heights appear Precipitously steep.

1843 J. C. Frémont Rep. 12 Aug. in D. Jackson & M. L. Spence Exped. J. C. Frémont (1970) i. 259 The surrounding ridges rose precipitously..covered with the dark green of the balsam pine.

1869 H. F. Tozer Res. Highlands of Turkey II. 294 A smooth rock, which descends precipitously into the sea.

1889 R. L. Stevenson Master of Ballantrae iii. 70 This was a creek..set in rocks, and so precipitously deep that a small vessel was able to lie alongside.

1922 Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. No. 730. 13 In the Black Canyon..the broad floor of the valley and the steep cliffs that rise precipitously 2,000 feet at its side suggest oversteepening of the walls by ice.

1982 N.Y. Times Mag. 19 Sept. 32/2 The number of reported cases..fell precipitously.

2001 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) Oct. 183/2 Martha, got everybody up..to go hiking on precipitously steep trials.