5 results for: precipitous

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

pre·cip·i·tous

Audio Help [pri-sip-i-tuh

–adjective

1.	of the nature of or characterized by precipices: a precipitous wall of rock.

2.	extremely or impassably steep: precipitous mountain trails.

3.	precipitate.

[Origin: 1640–50; < obs. F précipiteux; see precipitate, -ous

]

—Related forms

pre·cip·i·tous·ly, adverb

pre·cip·i·tous·ness, noun

—Synonyms 2. abrupt, sheer, perpendicular.

—Antonyms 1, 2. flat, level.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
precipitous

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

pre·cip·i·tous Audio Help (prĭ-sĭp'ĭ-təs) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Resembling a precipice; extremely steep. See Synonyms at steep¹.
Having several precipices: a precipitous bluff.
Usage Problem Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate: "The change has included a precipitous collapse of Communist authority" (New York Times). See Usage Note at precipitate.

[Probably from obsolete precipitious, from Latin praecipitium, precipice; see precipice.]

pre·cip'i·tous·ly adv., pre·cip'i·tous·ness n.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

precipitous
adjective
1.	done with very great haste and without due deliberation; "hasty marriage seldom proveth well"- Shakespeare; "hasty makeshifts take the place of planning"- Arthur Geddes; "rejected what was regarded as an overhasty plan for reconversion"; "wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king" [syn: hasty]
2.	extremely steep; "an abrupt canyon"; "the precipitous rapids of the upper river"; "the precipitous hills of Chinese paintings"; "a sharp drop" [syn: abrupt]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
precipitous [priˈsipitəs] adjective

very steep

Arabic:	شَديد الإنْحِدار
Chinese (Simplified):	陡峭的
Chinese (Traditional):	陡峭的
Czech:	strmý
Danish:	stejl
Dutch:	steil
Estonian:	järsk
Finnish:	jyrkkä
French:	escarpé
German:	jäh
Greek:	κατακόρυφος
Hungarian:	meredek
Icelandic:	þverhníptur
Indonesian:	terjal
Italian:	ripido

Japanese:	切りたった
Korean:	가파른
Latvian:	kraujš; stāvs
Lithuanian:	status, skardingas
Norwegian:	svært bratt
Polish:	urwisty
Portuguese (Brazil):	escarpado
Portuguese (Portugal):	escarpado
Romanian:	abrupt
Russian:	отвесный
Slovak:	strmý
Slovenian:	strm
Spanish:	escarpado
Swedish:	tvärbrant, bråddjup
Turkish:	çok dik, uçurumlu

See also: precipice

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