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“precipice”
1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock, such as a crag or the face of a cliff: The hikers drew back carefully from the precipice, moving towards safety.
2. The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation: The school team was on the precipice of defeat.
2. The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation: The school team was on the precipice of defeat.
Before he found out the results of his final examinations, Samuel felt as though he were at the edge of a precipice.
3. Etymology: from "fall to great depth"; from French précipice, from Latin præcipitium, "a steep place"; literally, "a fall" or "leap"; from præceps, præcipitis, "steep, headlong, headfirst"; from prae-, "in front" + caput, "head".
The meaning of "steep face of rock" is recorded from 1632.
This entry is located in the following units:
capit-, capt-, cap-, cep-, ceps-, chapt-, chef, cip-
(page 4)
-ice
(page 2)
pre-, prae-
(page 3)
precipice, precipitate, precipitate, precipitous
precipice (PRES uh pis) (noun)
1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock; such as, a crag or the face of a cliff: He stood on the edge of the precipice as he looked down at the villages.
2. A point where danger, trouble, or difficulty begins: The company is on the edge of a hazardous financial precipice.
2. A point where danger, trouble, or difficulty begins: The company is on the edge of a hazardous financial precipice.
precipitate (pri SIP i tayt") (verb)
1. To bring about before expected or needed; to hasten the occurrence of: Andrew must not have been aware that he was about to precipitate a quarrel about the meaning of the word.
2. To send someone or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition: The sudden death of Lenora's mother could only precipitate a severe family crisis.
2. To send someone or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition: The sudden death of Lenora's mother could only precipitate a severe family crisis.
precipitate (pri SIP i tit") (adjective)
Hasty, rash, without due deliberation: The precipitate and impulsive act was a cause for much regret.
precipitous (pri SIP i tuhs) (adjective)
1. Very steep and perpendicular: It was a precipitous slope and very dangerous for climbers.
2. Referring to an incident which happens in a very quick and sudden way: There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently.
2. Referring to an incident which happens in a very quick and sudden way: There has been a precipitous decline in home sales recently.
People were shocked by the mayor's precipitous fall from political power.
The bank president's precipitous decision will probably precipitate a jumping off of the precipice (figuratively speaking) by the manager unless his decision is carefully reviewed.
This entry is located in the following unit:
Confusing Words Clarified: Group P; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(page 7)
A unit related to:
“precipice”
(Latin: an overhanging bank, precipice, cliff, crag)
Word Entries at Get Words:
“precipice”
precipice
1. A steep cliff.
2. A place from which a person can fall headlong.
3. A dangerous situation.
2. A place from which a person can fall headlong.
3. A dangerous situation.
"On his graduation day, Samuel felt as though he were at the edge of a precipice."