precipitous
American Heritage Dictionary:
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pre·cip·i·tous
(prĭ-sĭp'ĭ-təs) 
adj.
precipitousness pre·cip'i·tous·ness n.
adj.
- Resembling a precipice; extremely steep. See synonyms at steep1.
- Having several precipices: a precipitous bluff.
- Usage Problem. Extremely rapid, hasty, or abrupt; precipitate: "The change has included a precipitous collapse of Communist authority" (New York Times). See Usage Note at precipitate.
[Probably from obsolete precipitious, from Latin praecipitium, precipice. See precipice.]
precipitously pre·cip'i·tous·ly adv.precipitousness pre·cip'i·tous·ness n.
Roget's Thesaurus:
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precipitous
adjective
- So sharply inclined as to be almost perpendicular: abrupt, bold, sheer2, steep1. See horizontal/vertical/change of position.
Word Tutor:
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precipitous
IN BRIEF: Steep.
And, how can our societies keep pace with the precipitous course of change without damage to themselves?
— Jacques Chirac
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Translations:
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Precipitous
Dansk (Danish)
adj. - stejl, brat
Nederlands (Dutch)
steil, gehaast, neervallend
Français (French)
adj. - escarpé, raide, à pic
Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - απόκρημνος, απότομος, κρημνώδης
Italiano (Italian)
precipitoso, affrettato
Português (Portuguese)
adj. - precipitoso, íngreme, súbito
Русский (Russian)
обрывистый, поспешный
Español (Spanish)
adj. - empinado, escarpado
Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - tvärbrant, stupande, förhastad
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
陡峭的, 急躁的
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 陡峭的, 急躁的
日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 絶壁の, 険しい
العربيه (Arabic)
(صفه) شديد الانحدار
עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - תלול, מפחיד בגובהו
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Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Roget's Thesaurus
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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