Verb: precipitate ,pri'si-pu-tut
- Bring about abruptly
"The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution"
- Separate as a fine suspension of solid particles
"The chemist precipitated the solute from the solution"
- (of rain, snow, etc.) landing after falling from the clouds
"Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum";
- come down, fall
- Fall vertically, sharply, or headlong
"Our economy precipitated into complete ruin"
- Hurl or throw violently
"The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below"
- A precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering
"The chemist carefully collected the precipitate for further analysis"
- Done with very great haste and without due deliberation
"wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king";
- hasty, overhasty, precipitant, precipitous
Derived forms: precipitated, precipitates, precipitating
See also: hurried
Type of: cast, change state, come down, descend, effect, effectuate, fall, go down, hurl, hurtle, set up, solid, turn
Encyclopedia: Precipitate