Pre*cip"i*tate (?), a. [L.
praecipitatus, p. p. of praecipitare to precipitate, fr.
praeceps headlong. See Precipice.] 1.
Overhasty; rash; as, the king was too precipitate in
declaring war. Clarendon.
2. Lacking due deliberation or care; hurried;
said or done before the time; as, a precipitate measure.
"The rapidity of our too precipitate course."
Landor.
3. Falling, flowing, or rushing, with steep
descent; headlong.
Precipitate the furious torrent
flows.
Prior.
4. Ending quickly in death; brief and fatal;
as, a precipitate case of disease. [Obs.]
Arbuthnot.
Pre*cip"i*tate (?), n. [NL.
praecipitatum: cf. F. précipité.]
1. (Chem.) An insoluble substance
separated from a solution in a concrete state by the action of some
reagent added to the solution, or of some force, such as heat or cold.
The precipitate may fall to the bottom (whence the name), may be
diffused through the solution, or may float at or near the
surface.
Red precipitate (Old. Chem), mercuric
oxide (HgO) a heavy red crystalline powder obtained by heating
mercuric nitrate, or by heating mercury in the air. Prepared in the
latter manner, it was the precipitate per se of the
alchemists. -- White precipitate (Old
Chem.) (a) A heavy white amorphous powder
(NH2.HgCl) obtained by adding ammonia to a solution of
mercuric chloride or corrosive sublimate; -- formerly called also
infusible white precipitate, and now amido-mercuric
chloride. (b) A white crystalline
substance obtained by adding a solution of corrosive sublimate to a
solution of sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride); -- formerly called also
fusible white precipitate.
Pre*cip"i*tate (?), v. t. [imp.
& p. p. Precipitated (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. Precipitating.] 1. To throw
headlong; to cast down from a precipice or height.
She and her horse had been precipitated to the
pebbled region of the river.
W. Irving.
2. To urge or press on with eager haste or
violence; to cause to happen, or come to a crisis, suddenly or too
soon; as, precipitate a journey, or a conflict.
Back to his sight precipitates her
steps.
Glover.
If they be daring, it may precipitate their
designs, and prove dangerous.
Bacon.
3. (Chem.) To separate from a solution,
or other medium, in the form of a precipitate; as, water
precipitates camphor when in solution with alcohol.
The light vapor of the preceding evening had been
precipitated by the cold.
W. Irving.
Pre*cip"i*tate, v. i. 1.
To dash or fall headlong. [R.]
So many fathom down precipitating.
Shak.
2. To hasten without preparation.
[R.]
3. (Chem.) To separate from a solution
as a precipitate. See Precipitate,
n.
