precipice

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He took care not to make a false movement, for the precipice was all of forty feet in depth, and a fall on the rocks below was bound to be a serious matter To lower himself to where the imperiled boy clung he had to take advantage of numerous projecting points of rock that offered him a foothold, or a place where he could hang on with his hands.

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Definitions (7)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock, such as a crag or the face of a cliff.
  2. noun The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation: on the precipice of defeat.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Indeed, there can be no doubt that the house of Eumaeus was on the top of the precipice; for Ulysses, in order to evince the truth of his story to the swineherd, desires to be thrown from the summit if his narration does not prove correct Near the bottom of the precipice is a curious natural gallery, about seven feet high, which is expressed in the plate. —  Life of Lord Byron, Vol. 6 (of 6)
  • It was cut smooth and enclosed between parallel walls; the outer of which secures the passenger from the precipice, which is deep and dreadful.... The sea beats at the bottom of the way. —  Life Of Johnson, Vol. 2
  • He had got near enough to the eagles to startle them into flight, and this had happened just before the mist had rolled down the mountain sides into the cańon Now, Rube knew well that to climb down a precipice is always more difficult than the ascent; and that to attempt the descent in a thick mist was doubly perilous. —  Kiddie the Scout
  • There is no other pass but this, and that of Belawin, which is equally dangerous for an army; so that the district of Suse, which was formerly a kingdom might be defended by a few men, against an invading army from Marocco of several thousands, by taking a judicious position at the southern extremity of this narrow path and tremendous precipice which is but a few yards in length. —  An Account of Timbuctoo and Housa Territories in the Interior of Africa
  • If it had gone over, the consequences would have been dire, for the precipice was, not sheer, but still a very steep slope of ice, several hundred feet deep, which terminated in those rugged masses on the berg-shore that had fallen from the cliffs above. —  Red Rooney The Last of the Crew
 

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. French précipice, from Latin praecipitium, from praeceps, praecipit-, headlong; see precipitate.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Old French precipice, French précipice = Spanish Portuguese precipicio = Italian precipizio, a precipice, from Latin præcipitium, a falling down headlong, an abrupt descent, a steep place, from præceps (præcipit-), head foremost, headlong, from præ, before, + caput, head: see capital. Cf. precipitate.
 

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/ˈprɛsɪpɪs/
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