/prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
with obj.
1
- cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely使（事件、情况, 尤指坏事或讨厌之事）突如其来地发生, 促成：
the incident precipitated a political crisis.
该事件促发了一场政治危机。
1.1
- with obj. and adverbial of direction cause to move suddenly and with force使突然移动：
suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down into a heap.
梯子突然断裂, 让他们摔作一团。
1.2
precipitate someone/thing into
send someone or something suddenly into a particular state or condition使（人, 物）突然陷入（某种状态）：they were precipitated into a conflict for which they were quite unprepared.
他们陷入了一场不期而来的冲突。
2
- （一般作be precipitated）Chemistry cause (a substance) to be deposited in solid form from a solution【化】使（物质）沉淀; 使淀析。
2.1
- cause (drops of moisture or particles of dust) to be deposited from the atmosphere or from a vapour or suspension使（水滴, 粉尘）沉降。
/prɪˈsɪpɪtət/1
- done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration轻率的, 贸然的, 莽撞的：
I must apologize for my staff - their actions were precipitate.
我必须代员工道歉——他们的行为是轻率的。
1.1
- (of an event or situation) occurring suddenly or abruptly（事件, 情况）突如其来的, 突然的：
a precipitate decline in Labour fortunes.
工党的机会的陡然下降。
/prɪˈsɪpɪtət/
- Chemistry a substance precipitated from a solution【化】沉淀物。
- ORIGIN: from modern Latin praecipitatum.
派生词
precipitable
adjectiveprecipitately
adverbprecipitateness
/-tətnɪs/ noun词源
early 16th cent.: from Latin praecipitat- 'thrown headlong'， from the verb praecipitare, from praeceps, praecip（it）- 'headlong'， from prae 'before'+caput 'head'. The original sense of the verb was 'hurl down， send violently'; hence 'cause to move rapidly'， which gave rise to sense 1 （early 17th cent.）.