Both Uses of
precipitate
in
Gulliver's Travels
- But hurried on by the precipitancy of youth, and having his imperial majesty's license to pay my attendance upon the emperor of Blefuscu, I took this opportunity, before the three days were elapsed, to send a letter to my friend the secretary, signifying my resolution of setting out that morning for Blefuscu, pursuant to the leave I had got; and, without waiting for an answer, I went to that side of the island where our fleet lay.†
Chpt 1 *
- that we sat whole nights drinking strong liquors, without eating a bit, which disposed us to sloth, inflamed our bodies, and precipitated or prevented digestion;†
Chpt 4 *precipitated = caused suddenly
Definitions:
-
(1)
(precipitate as in: a precipitate decision) acting with great haste -- often without adequate thought
-
(2)
(precipitate as in: it precipitated a revolution) make something happen or to fall or move -- typically suddenly and often of something undesired
-
(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
In chemistry, the verb form denotes separating solids from a solution; while the noun form references the solid particles in such a solution. It is from this sense that meteorologists refer to rain or snow as precipitation.
In classic literature, the word is sometimes used as a verb to indicated falling from a high spot such as "a false step could precipitate them down off the cliff," or throwing as in "If they attempt to precipitate themselves upon him...".