præcipitate

Adjective

precipitate (comparative more precipitate, superlative most precipitate)

1. headlong; falling steeply or vertically.
   • When the full stores their ancient bounds disdain, / Precipitate the furious torrent flows.1718, Matthew Prior, Solomon, book 2, lines 853–854

   Synonyms:

   headlong, precipitant, precipitous

2. Very steep; precipitous.

   Synonyms:

   brant

3. With a hasty impulse; hurried; headstrong.
   • 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...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, →OCLC, page 145

   Synonyms:

   hotheaded, impetuous, rash, daring, devil-may-care, headstrong, heedless, imprudent, impulsive, precipitant

4. Moving with excessive speed or haste; overly hasty.
   • The king was too precipitate in declaring war.
5. Performed very rapidly or abruptly.
   • 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

   Synonyms:

   abrupt, precipitous, subitaneous, precipitant, spontaneous, sudden, suddent

See all 16 meanings of precipitate