precipitate
pronunciation
How to pronounce precipitate in British English:
UK [prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt , prɪˈsɪpɪtət]
How to pronounce precipitate in American English:
US [prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt , prɪˈsɪpɪtət]
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- Noun:
- a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering
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- Verb:
- separate as a fine suspension of solid particles
- bring about abruptly
- fall from clouds
- fall vertically, sharply, or headlong
- hurl or throw violently
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- Adjective:
- done with very great haste and without due deliberation
Word Origin
- precipitate (v.)
- "to hurl or fling down," 1520s, a back formation from precipitation or else from Latin praecipitatus, past participle of praecipitare "to throw or dive headlong," from praeceps "steep, headlong, headfirst" (see precipice). Meaning "to cause to happen, hurry the beginning of" is recorded from 1620s. Chemical sense is from 1620s; meteorological sense first attested 1863. Related: Precipitated; precipitating.
- precipitate (adj.)
- c. 1600, from Latin praecipitatus, past participle of praecipitare "to throw or dive headlong" (see precipitate (v.)). Meaning "hasty" is attested from 1650s. Related: Precipitately.
- precipitate (n.)
- 1560s, probably a back formation from precipitation.
Example
- 1. That is due to the use of leverage : price declines precipitate the forced liquidation of leveraged positions .
- 2. The solution is then treated to precipitate uranium oxide .
- 3. As these examples indicate , a deceleration need not precipitate disaster .
- 4. Still , any concession towards autonomy in darfur would be seized on by nationalists and islamists-and could help precipitate his own downfall .
- 5. There are several ways to produce gold particles , but most involve dissolving chloroauric acid , also called gold salts , in liquid and adding chemicals to precipitate gold atoms .