pre-, prae-

1. To send someone or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition: Sam had to be careful while standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, otherwise one false step might precipitate him down into the bottom of the canyon!
2. To cause a liquid or solid forms of water, condensed in the atmosphere, to fall to the ground: Excess moisture in the sky is precipitated as rain, snow, or hail, depending on the season of the year.
3. To throw someone or something from a great height, or to fall from a great height: Jack dropped a stone from the bridge high above the river and it precipitated down into the swirling roar below.
4. To cause a substance in a solution to settle down into solid particles: A chemical sediment occurs when certain substances are precipitated by an inorganic or organic process.
5. To occur with undue rapidity: The steep rise in prices for gas precipitated street rioting.
6. Etymology: from Latin praeceps, praecipitis, "headlong, steep"; from prae-, "before, forth" + caput, "head".

1. Descriptive of something which is made, done, or acted on very quickly or too fast without enough thinking or planning: Jim and Jane made a precipitate decision to go on a trip before they had prepared the details necessary to make such a commitment.
2. Referring to a situation or event occurring with haste or speed: Linda had to make more precipitate choices for the rest of her final exam at school because there was only five minutes more to complete it.
3. Etymology: from Latin praecipitatus, "hurl headlong, fall, be hasty" from praeceps, "headlong"; prae-, "forth, before" + caput, "head". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. The act of making something happen suddenly and quickly: The thoughtless hiker was responsible for the precipitation of rocks abruptly falling down the hillside.
2. A casting down or falling headlong: Little Tommy tumbled down from the top step of the long staircase and this precipitation terrified and alarmed his parents greatly!
3. A hastening or hurrying in movement, procedure, or action: Jack's friends were convinced that he was responsible for the precipitation of his death because of his addiction to alcoholic beverages.
4. Sudden haste: The precipitation Janet showed by leaving so abruptly and without saying goodbye took all of her friends by complete surprise.
5. Unwise or rash rapidity: The burglar's precipitation from the house was completely foolish because he was immediately caught right outside before he could flee!
6. In meteorology, falling products of condensation in the atmosphere, such as snow or hail: When the weather forecast predicted a high level of precipitation, people had to expect a lot of rain.
7. The amount of snow, hail, etc., that has fallen at a given place within a given period, usually expressed in inches or centimeters of water: Ivy went outside to check the device that showed the precipitation of rain the night before.
8. In chemistry and physics, the separation of a solid substance from a solution: In precipitation, crystals assume a dense form when a point of total saturation has been attained.
9. Etymology: "sudden haste", from Middle French precipitation (15th century); directly from Latin praecipitationem, praecipitatio, "act" or "fact of falling headlong, haste, steep place"; from praecipitare, "to throw headlong, to fall, to be hasty"; from praeceps "headlong, steep"; which was a compound formed from the prefix prae-, "in front" + capit, caput, "head".

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". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. Regarding how something happens abruptly and in a dangerously steep manner: The cliffs rose sharply and precipitously from the shore of the ocean.
2. Pertaining to something which occurs very suddenly and to a great degree: If a reduction or increase in stocks on the stock market happens precipitously, it happens extremely fast.

The condition of something which is very steep; steepness; abruptness: When Lynn was driving, she was afraid of the precipitousness of the almost vertical mountain roads leading up and down quite hazardously and dangerously.

1. A brief statement presenting the main points and ideas of a composition: Adam's regular précis always show the accurate summaries of his company's financial earnings.

Monroe presented a précis of his book's plot to the audience.
2. Etymology: from prae, "before" and caedere, "to cut".

1. Relating to something which is exact and accurate, or detailed and specific: Theodor, the university professor, always strives to present precise lessons so his students will understand what he is talking about.
2. A reference to someone who is very careful about small details; concerning something which is proper, correct, and faultless: Tim's mother is teaching him precise examples of correct behavior.
3. Denoting that something is the exact one that is being referred to: At that precise moment, it started to thunder and rain just as the weather forecaster had indicated on TV.
4. Descriptive of something that is distinct and correct, such as a talk or discussion: Henry is a very precise speaker when he is presenting the procedures that are necessary for a profitable income for his company to his fellow employees.
5. Etymology: from Latin praecis-, "cut short"; from prae-, "in advance" + caedere, "to cut." © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. Referring to how something is stated exactly and explicitly: Ted said precisely what he meant when he said that the inferior equipment was the reason why some of the hikers refused to continue the climb up the mountain.

2. Pertaining to how something is to be used with absolute accuracy: Instruments must be adjusted precisely before they can be used successfully.
3. Concerning how something is communicated in complete and accurate detail: John told his friend precisely with all the particulars what had happened when the thunder storm came the night before.
4. Clearly and distinctly: Shirley always speaks very precisely when she teaches her students about writing their compositions.
5. Descriptive of how something important or obvious is emphasised: Little children love to go to playgrounds precisely to have have fun using the equipment and playing ball with their friends.
6. Conveying how something is in complete agreement with what has been said: Kay is precisely correct when she says that the repairmen can't be relied on to finish the job on time.

1. The quality shown by precision and accuracy: Robert always presented preciseness with no errors regarding all the details of his speech.
2. The condition of being reproduced accurately in amount or performance: Sam handled it with the preciseness of an expert as shown by the meticulousness of his work.

A person who attaches great or too great importance to being exact: A precisionist, or precisian, always holds fast to rules of conduct and doctrines, and without exception.

1. Exactness or accuracy: Margaret's grandfather had an old pocket watch that showed great precision and was always in accord with the correct time, which was quite remarkable considering its age.
2. In mathematics, the correctness to which a calculation is performed, specifying the number of significant digits with which the result is expressed: The engineer checked the precision of the measurements of his sensitive equipment to make sure it was still reliable.
3.The requirement of great exactitude: Being a TV news reporter necessitates perfect precision to be at the right spot at a specific time for a broadcast.
4. Perfect accuracy and correctness when performing business dealings: Bank clerks have to show great precision when they take care of the accounts of their clients.

1. Someone who insists on or strives for absolute quality: Some of the most famous precisionists, whose works can be seen in great American museum collections, are Ralston Crawford, Stuart Davis, and Gerald Murphy.
2. A person who is a purist, particularly with using the correct use of words: Being a precisionist, Carol was a perfectionist when composing letters and paid much attention to the formal rules of grammar and appropriate vocabulary.

A reference to the time before a disease becomes medically recognizable or before a diagnosis of a disease is possible: A preclinical research starts before medical testing in humans can begin and during which important drug safety data are collected.

The results of preclinical examinations may include new medical devices, drugs, gene therapy solutions, and diagnostic tools.

1. To make something impossible or to rule it out, especially before something takes place: Because Shelby injured her hand, it will preclude her performance on the piano this evening.
2. To prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of: The judge stated that insufficiency of the evidence precludes a conviction of the defendant.

Ted's physical disability precludes an athletic career for him.

Before going on their vacation, Terry's father decided to have the car checked in order to preclude any possible breakdown while they were traveling.

© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.