pre-, prae-

1. The act or fact of preceding; precedence.
2. In astronomy: the slow, conical motion of the earth's axis of rotation, caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon, and, to a smaller extent, of the planets, on the equatorial bulge of the earth.

In certain contexts, "precession" may refer to the precession that the Earth experiences, the effects of this type of precession on astronomical observation, or to the precession of orbital objects.

Occurring before a meal.

1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock; such as, a crag or the face of a cliff.
2. The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation: "The school team was on the precipice of defeat."
3. Etymology: from "fall to great depth"; from French précipice, from Latin prćcipitium, "a steep place"; literally, "a fall" or "leap"; from prćceps, prćcipitis, "steep, headlong, headfirst"; from prae-, "in front" + caput, "head".

The meaning of "steep face of rock" is recorded from 1632.

Capable of being precipitated, or cast to the bottom, as a substance in solution.

1. Quality, fact, or instance of being precipitate.
2. Great haste; rashness.

1. A substance which causes a chemical or mechanical precipitation.
2. An agent that causes a precipitate to form.
3. Done with very great haste and without due deliberation.
4. Done too quickly and impulsively, often resulting in mistakes.

With great haste; with rash unadvised haste; with tumultuous hurry.

1. To send someone or something suddenly and rapidly into a particular state or condition.
2. To cause a liquid or solid forms of water, condensed in the atmosphere, to fall to the ground as rain, snow, or hail, or fall in such a form.
3. To throw someone or something from a great height, or to fall from a great height.
4. To cause a substance in solution to settle down in solid particles; the solid that settles out of a solution.
5. A deposit made or substance thrown down by precipitation.
6. Occurring with undue rapidity, as precipitate labor.
7. In immunology, the product of interaction between soluble macromolecular antigen and the homologous antibody, e.g., the antigen-antibody complex formed as a consequence of the reaction of pneumococcus capsular polysaccharide in solution with specific antiserum.

1. The act of precipitating; the state of being precipitated.
2. A casting down or falling headlong.
3. A hastening or hurrying in movement, procedure, or action.
4. Sudden haste.
5. Unwise or rash rapidity.
6. In meteorology: falling products of condensation in the atmosphere; such as, rain, snow, or hail.
7. The amount of rain, snow, hail, etc., that has fallen at a given place within a given period, usually expressed in inches or centimeters of water.
8. In chemistry and physics: the precipitating of a substance from a solution.

1. Done or acting too quickly and without enough thought.
2. Very high and steep.
3. Done with very great haste and without due deliberation.

1. Abruptly; in a precipitous manner; with a steep descent: "The mountains rose precipitously from the shore."
2. Very suddenly and to a great degree.
3. If a reduction or increase is precipitous, it is fast.

1. The characteristics of a slope that is very steep.
2. Synonyms: quick, sharp; short, hurried, hasty, blunt; discontinuous, broken, uneven.

1. A concise or abridged statement or view.
2. Etymology: from prae, "before" and caedere, "to cut".

1. Exact and accurate, or detailed and specific; clearly stated or strictly delineated.
2. Very careful about small details, especially of correct behavior.
3. Indicating that something is the exact one that is being referred to: "At that precise moment, in he came."
4. Able to assimilate details or wanting to be given details; being strict or rigid, as in the observance of rules or customs.
5. Distinct and correct; very distinct, as speech: "He was a very precise speaker."

1. Used to indicate that something is stated exactly: "That is precisely what I mean."
2. With absolute accuracy: "Instruments that must be adjusted precisely before they can be used."
3. In a precise manner.
4. Used as an intensive: Inferior equipment was precisely the reason some hikers refused to continue the climb.
5. In complete and accurate detail: "Tell me precisely what happened."
6. Clearly and distinctly: "She speaks very precisely."
7. Used to add emphasis when specifying something: It was precisely because you didn't ask that she thought you didn't need her help."
8. Used to indicate complete agreement with what has been said: "Fine, but I don't think they can be relied on." "Precisely."