英和和英

語源

First attested in 1598, from Middle French precipice, from Latin praecipitium (“a steep place”), from praeceps (“steep”), from prae + caput (“head”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“head”).

Distantly related to precept through Latin praecipiō (“to teach”), from prae + capiō (“take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-, *keh₂p- (“to hold; to seize”).

発音

• IPA: /ˈpɹɛsɪpɪs/
• (weak vowel merger) IPA: /ˈpɹɛs.ə.pɪs/
• ハイフネーション: preci‧pice

名詞

precipice (plural precipices)

1. A very steep cliff.
   • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:

     I resolved to remove my tent from the place where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice of the hill; and which, if it should be shaken again, would certainly fall upon my tent […]

2. (figurative) The brink of a dangerous situation.

   to stand on a precipice

   • 2022 September 14, Arthur Neslen, quoting Noam Chomsky, “Health groups call for global fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty”, in The Guardian‎:

     In emailed comments supporting the new initiative, the laureate professor Noam Chomsky said: “Humans are marching towards a precipice. When we reach it, unthinkable catastrophe is inevitable. […] ”

3. (obsolete) A headlong fall or descent.

同意語

• cliff
• cliffdrop

派生語

関連する語

• precipitous
• precipitously
• precipitousness