verb (used with object),pre·cip·i·tat·ed,pre·cip·i·tat·ing.
to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly: to precipitate an international crisis.
to cast down headlong; fling or hurl down.
to cast, plunge, or send, especially violently or abruptly: He precipitated himself into the struggle.
Chemistry. to separate (a substance) in solid form from a solution, as by means of a reagent.
verb (used without object),pre·cip·i·tat·ed,pre·cip·i·tat·ing.
Meteorology. to fall to the earth's surface as a condensed form of water; to rain, snow, hail, drizzle, etc.
to separate from a solution as a precipitate.
to be cast or thrown down headlong.
adjective
headlong: a precipitate fall down the stairs.
rushing headlong or rapidly onward.
proceeding rapidly or with great haste: a precipitate retreat.
exceedingly sudden or abrupt: a precipitate stop; a precipitate decision.
done or made without sufficient deliberation; overhasty; rash: a precipitate marriage.
noun
Chemistry. a substance precipitated from a solution.
moisture condensed in the form of rain, snow, etc.
Origin of precipitate
First recorded in 1520–30; the verb and adjective derive from Latin praecipitātus (past participle of praecipitāre “to cast down headlong”), equivalent to praecipit- (stem of praeceps “steep”; see precipice) + -ātus past participle suffix (see -ate1); the noun comes from New Latin praecipitātum “a precipitate,” noun use of neuter of praecipitātus
SYNONYMS FOR precipitate
1 accelerate.
4 crystallize.
12 reckless, impetuous.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR precipitate ON THESAURUS.COM
ANTONYMS FOR precipitate
1 retard.
12 careful.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR precipitate ON THESAURUS.COM
historical usage of precipitate
The verb precipitate comes from Latin praecipitāt-, the past participle stem of praecipitāre “to fall headlong, leap down, hurl or throw down, throw overboard,” a derivative of the adjective praeceps (stem praecipit- ) “falling headlong, impetuous (in action), advanced in age, declining, abrupt, sudden.” Praeceps is formed from the adverb, preposition, and prefix prae, prae- “in front, ahead” and -ceps (stem -cepit- ), a combining form of caput (stem capit- ) “head”; praeceps literally means “headfirst.” The chemical sense of precipitate, “to separate (a substance) in solid form from a solution,” first appears in New Latin praecipitāre at the end of the 15th century, and is first recorded in English in the 17th century. The related meteorological sense “to fall to earth as rain, snow, hail, or drizzle” dates from the end of the 18th century.
Some changes were precipitated by what happened in 2016, while others were driven by the challenges facing the polling industry, such as low response rates to phone calls and the greater cost of high-quality polling.
What Pollsters Have Changed Since 2016 — And What Still Worries Them About 2020|Geoffrey Skelley (geoffrey.skelley@abc.com)|October 13, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
As I learned about the attack on Beirut, and the Hezbollah-led border raid that precipitated it, my stomach turned.
How Biking Across America Formed an Unlikely Friendship|Raffi Joe Wartanian|October 8, 2020|Outside Online
The China debacle directly “precipitated” the current project, says Kay Davies, a geneticist at Oxford University and co-chair of the new panel.
The “staged rollout” of gene-modified babies could start with sickle-cell disease|Amy Nordrum|September 3, 2020|MIT Technology Review
As the water cools, then, the sugar slowly precipitates out — becoming solid again.
Rock Candy Science 2: No such thing as too much sugar|Bethany Brookshire|April 30, 2020|Science News For Students
Unlike some of her peers, she is not motivated by an ideological zeal to precipitate Israel's destruction.
Sitting Beside A BDS Leader|Eran Shayshon|March 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Continued temporizing could destroy the euro and precipitate another financial catastrophe.
We’re Doomed!|Charles R. Morris|August 11, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Next in line is the arch- conservative Interior Minister Prince Nayif, who would alienate reformers and might precipitate unrest.
Why the Saudi Royals are Scared|Bruce Riedel|March 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST
If NATO withdraws, those forces will almost certainly sweep into Kabul and precipitate another protracted civil war.
The Right and Left Are Wrong About My Movie|Sebastian Junger|July 21, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Anger, alcohol, drugs, economic hopelessness, reckless driving—they can all precipitate tragedy.
Why I Love Guns|Meghan McCain|May 14, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Carlyle came into his wife's dressing-room, and Madame Vine would have made a precipitate retreat.
East Lynne|Mrs. Henry Wood
Charley only waited for the answer, and made a precipitate rush for the house.
A Changed Heart|May Agnes Fleming
As soon as he sees them placed he begins his discourse in a loud and precipitate voice; the rest preserve a profound silence.
Birds and all Nature, Vol. IV, No. 6, December 1898|Various
And as it was here that the Sheriff of Calaveras made a precipitate entry into the room, the mystery remained unsolved.
Found At Blazing Star|Bret Harte
A very small amount of caramel will require several hours to precipitate.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants|Edwin M. Bruce
British Dictionary definitions for precipitate
precipitate
verb (prɪˈsɪpɪˌteɪt)
(tr)to cause to happen too soon or sooner than expected; bring on
to throw or fall from or as from a height
to cause (moisture) to condense and fall as snow, rain, etc, or (of moisture, rain, etc) to condense and fall thus
chemto undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a dissolved substance separates from solution as a fine suspension of solid particles
adjective (prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt)
rushing ahead
done rashly or with undue haste
sudden and brief
noun (prɪˈsɪpɪtɪt)
chema precipitated solid in its suspended form or after settling or filtering
hasten, trigger, accelerate, expedite, advance, fling, launch, further, dispatch, cast, hurl, press, discharge, throw, quicken, bring on, let fly, send forth, speed up
Cultural definitions for precipitate
precipitate
[ (pri-sip-uh-tayt, pri-sip-uh-tuht) ]
In chemistry, a solid material that is formed in a solution by chemical reactions and settles to the bottom of the container in which the reaction takes place. A precipitate may also be a substance removed from another by an artificial filter.