Definition of "precipitate"

precipitate¹

verb
third-person singular simple present precipitates, present participle precipitating, simple past and past participle precipitated
1. (transitive) To make something happen suddenly and quickly.
  Quotations
  Back to his sight precipitates her steps.
  1737, Richard Glover, Leonidas Book 4
  if they be stout and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous
  1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Ambition”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret
2. (transitive) To throw an object or person from a great height.
  Quotations
  In gallopping heedlessly along, with her eyes turned upwards, she had unwarily approached too near the bank; it had given way with her, and she and her horse had been precipitated to the pebbled margin of the river.
  1822 May 21, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Hawking”, in Bracebridge Hall, or The Humourists. A Medley. […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], page 182
3. (transitive) To send violently into a certain state or condition.
4. (intransitive, chemistry) To come out of a liquid solution into solid form.
5. (transitive, chemistry) To separate a substance out of a liquid solution into solid form.
6. (intransitive, meteorology) To have water in the air fall to the ground, for example as rain, snow, sleet, or hail; be deposited as condensed droplets.
7. (transitive) To cause (water in the air) to condense or fall to the ground.
  Quotations
  The light vapour of the preceding evening had been precipitated by the cold.
  1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […]
8. (intransitive) To fall headlong.
9. (intransitive) To act too hastily; to be precipitous.
adjective
comparative more precipitate, superlative most precipitate
1. headlong; falling steeply or vertically.
  Quotations
  When the full stores their ancient bounds disdain, / Precipitate the furious torrent flows.
  1718, Matthew Prior, Solomon, book 2, lines 853–854
2. Very steep; precipitous.
3. With a hasty impulse; hurried; headstrong.
  Quotations
  Though thoughtful far beyond your years, you are very inexperienced; and I would not have a preference that may originate in your little knowledge of others, or a romantic exaggeration of slight kindnesses, lead you into a precipitate union with me, unless you most seriously examine your own heart, and weigh the various consequences.
  1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, page 145
4. Moving with excessive speed or haste; overly hasty.
  Quotations
  'One moment!" said Malone. "I beg, sir, that you will not be precipitate. I value your friendship too much to risk the loss of it if it can, in any way, be avoided."
  1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019
5. Performed very rapidly or abruptly.
  Quotations
  It had cost me a distinct psychological effort to do so, and now that I was shut inside I had a momentary longing for precipitate retreat.
  1931, H[oward] P[hillips] Lovecraft, chapter 6, in The Whisperer in Darkness

precipitate²

/pɹɪˈsɪpɪtət/

noun
plural precipitates
1. a product resulting from a process, event, or course of action
  Quotations
  As for the musculature it is a precipitate of Spirit and the signature of the cosmos is in it.
  1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, page 381
2. (chemistry) a solid that exits the liquid phase of a solution

Definition of "precipitate"

precipitate1

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

adjective

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

precipitate2

noun

Quotations

precipitate¹

precipitate²