precipitate

precipitate — verb

1. to cause an event or change, often an unpleasant one, to begin at once or earlie

1.動詞及物C2
釋義

to cause an event or change, often an unpleasant one, to begin at once or earlier than people expected.

例句

The mayor's angry speech precipitated a strike by bus drivers.

precipitate + strike / crisis / conflict

A sharp price rise precipitated panic buying across the island.

同義詞
  • trigger

    common and slightly less formal; often for a chain reaction

  • spark

    suggests starting something suddenly, often conflict or interest

  • hasten

    stresses making something happen sooner

  • bring about

    broader and less focused on sudden timing

反義詞
  • delay

    make something happen later

  • prevent

    stop something from happening at all

文法句型

precipitate + crisis / conflict / change

precipitate + reaction

用法筆記

Object is usually an event, crisis, change, or reaction, not a person or thing. It often suggests that the result comes quickly and is difficult to control.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was precipitated to three o'clock.
✅The meeting was moved to three o'clock.
💡precipitate means cause an event or reaction, not simply change a time.

2. to send someone or something hurtling down from a high place with strong force.

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to send someone or something hurtling down from a high place with strong force.

例句

The blast precipitated rocks onto the road below.

precipitate + object + onto/down

A wave precipitated the swimmer against the harbor wall.

同義詞
  • hurl

    common and forceful

  • fling

    suggests a sudden movement of the arm or body

  • cast

    literary and broader in direction

反義詞
  • raise

    move something upward instead

  • lift

    pick something up rather than send it down

文法句型

precipitate + object + down / into / onto + place

用法筆記

This sense is literary and strongly physical. It is usually followed by a phrase showing downward direction such as into, onto, or down.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher precipitated the books to the students.
✅The teacher threw the books to the students.
💡precipitate here suggests violent downward force, not an ordinary throw.

3. in chemistry, to form a solid that comes out of a liquid, or to make this happen

3.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

in chemistry, to form a solid that comes out of a liquid, or to make this happen.

例句

When the liquid cooled, white crystals precipitated at the bottom.

intransitive: solid appears from liquid

Adding salt precipitated the protein from the warm solution.

transitive: precipitate + substance from solution

同義詞
  • separate

    broader and not limited to chemistry

  • deposit

    often focuses on the solid left behind

  • crystallize

    narrower; suggests crystal formation

反義詞
  • dissolve

    become part of the liquid instead of coming out of it

文法句型

substance precipitates from solution

precipitate + substance + from solution

用法筆記

Common in chemistry writing. Intransitive use names the solid that appears; transitive use names the action or substance that causes the separation.

常見錯誤

❌Dust precipitated on the shelf overnight.
✅Dust settled on the shelf overnight.
💡this sense is mainly a chemistry term for a solid coming out of a liquid.

precipitate — noun

precipitate — adjective