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Webster 1913 Edition


Precipitous

Pre-cip′i-tous

,
Adj.
[L.
praeceps
,
-cipitis
: cf. OF.
precipiteux
. See
Precipice
.]
1.
Steep, like a precipice;
as, a
precipitous
cliff or mountain
.
2.
Headlong;
as,
precipitous
fall
.
3.
Hasty; rash; quick; sudden; precipitate;
as,
precipitous
attempts
.
Sir T. Browne.
“Marian’s low, precipitous ‘Hush!'”
Mrs. Browning.
Pre-cip′i-tous-ly
,
adv.
Pre-cip′i-tous-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition


Precipitous

PRECIP'ITOUS

,
Adj.
[L. proeceps.] Very steep; as a precipitous cliff or mountain.
1.
Headlong; directly or rapidly descending; as a precipitous fall.
2.
Hasty; rash; heady.
Advice unsafe, precipitous and bold.

Definition 2024


precipitous

precipitous

English

Adjective

precipitous

  1. Steep, like a precipice; as, a precipitous cliff or mountain.
  2. Headlong; as, precipitous fall.
  3. Hasty; rash; quick; sudden; precipitate; as, precipitous attempts.
    • 2007, J. Michael Fay, Ivory Wars: Last Stand in Zakouma, National Geographic (March 2007), 46,
      ...humans have been responsible for a precipitous decline of elephants, from perhaps 300,000 in the early 1970s to some 10,000 today.

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