precipice
pronunciation
How to pronounce precipice in British English:
UK [ˈpresəpɪs]
How to pronounce precipice in American English:
US [ˈprɛsəpɪs]
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- Noun:
- a very steep cliff
Word Origin
- precipice
- precipice: [16] The etymological notion underlying precipice is of falling ‘headlong’. It comes via French précipice from Latin praecipitium ‘headlong fall, steep place’. This was derived from praecipitāre ‘throw headlong’ (source of English precipitate [16] and precipitous [17]), a verb based on the adjective praeceps ‘headlong, steep’. This in turn was a compound formed from the prefix prae- ‘in front’ and caput ‘head’ (source of English capital, captain, etc).=> capital, captain, chief
- precipice (n.)
- "steep face of rock," 1630s, from Middle French précipice, from Latin praecipitium "a steep place," literally "a fall or leap," from praeceps (genitive praecipitis) "steep, headlong, headfirst," from prae "before, forth" (see pre-) + caput "head" (see head (n.)). Earlier in English as a verb (1590s) meaning "fall to great depth."
Example
- 1. But we are standing on the edge of a precipice .
- 2. Above them a great fortress extends the precipice way beyond its natural height .
- 3. We all know the classic scenes from cartoons . The cart reaches a precipice . But it goes on walking . Ignoring the fact that there is nothing beneath .
- 4. We may be standing at a precipice .
- 5. Once the foolhardy are teetering on the precipice , it is too late for smugness .