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“precipitous”
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)
precipitous (adjective); more precipitous, most precipitous
1. A reference to an action done or acted on too quickly and without enough thought: Monroe finished his company assignment in a precipitous way which was accomplished in great haste and without proper deliberation.
2. Etymology: "abrupt, hasty"; later, "rushing headlong; probably formed partly in English from Latin praecipitium, "precipice" meaning "steep, headlong, headfirst"+ English -ous, "characterized by".
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2. Etymology: "abrupt, hasty"; later, "rushing headlong; probably formed partly in English from Latin praecipitium, "precipice" meaning "steep, headlong, headfirst"+ English -ous, "characterized by".
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This entry is located in the following units:
capit-, capt-, cap-, cep-, ceps-, chapt-, chef, cip-
(page 5)
-ous, -ious, -eous
(page 17)
pre-, prae-
(page 4)