precipitation

/prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /pri-ˌsi-pə-ˈtā-shən/ (ame, mw)

precipitation — noun

1. rain, snow, or other water that comes down from the sky, or the total amount tha

1.名詞C1
釋義

rain, snow, or other water that comes down from the sky, or the total amount that falls in a place.

例句

The forecast warned of heavy precipitation in the mountains tonight.

collocation: heavy precipitation

Overnight precipitation left a thin layer of snow on the highway.

同義詞
  • rain

    narrower; only liquid water, not snow or hail

  • rainfall

    often stresses the amount of rain in a place or period

  • moisture

    broader; can mean water in air, soil, or on surfaces

反義詞
  • drought

    a long period with little or no precipitation

文法句型

heavy / light precipitation

annual precipitation

precipitation + falls

用法筆記

Common in weather reports, geography, and science classes. Unlike rain, this sense also covers snow, sleet, and hail, and it can refer to the amount measured over time.

常見錯誤

❌The town had a lot of rain precipitation last week.
✅The town had a lot of precipitation last week.
💡'precipitation' already includes the idea of rain or snow falling.

2. the habit or act of moving too fast and making a decision before enough thought

2.名詞C2
釋義

the habit or act of moving too fast and making a decision before enough thought or planning.

例句

Owen acted with precipitation and signed the contract without reading page two.

pattern: act with precipitation

The council blamed the mayor's precipitation in approving the bridge design.

同義詞
  • haste

    more general; can be neutral or negative depending on context

  • rashness

    stronger; clearly suggests poor judgment

  • impulsiveness

    stresses acting from sudden feeling rather than careful thought

反義詞

文法句型

act with precipitation

somebody's precipitation

precipitation in decision-making

用法筆記

Usually found in formal writing rather than everyday speech. It often appears after with or in possessive forms, and it names rash speed in judgment, not simple physical quickness.

常見錯誤

❌The bus arrived with precipitation.
✅The bus arrived quickly.
💡this sense is about rash decision-making, not ordinary speed.

3. a process where dissolved material turns solid and comes out of a liquid during

3.名詞C2
釋義

a process where dissolved material turns solid and comes out of a liquid during a reaction.

例句

Adding salt caused precipitation at the bottom of the glass jar.

pattern: cause precipitation

The students watched precipitation begin when the two clear liquids mixed.

pattern: watch precipitation begin

同義詞
  • separation

    broader; not limited to solids forming in a liquid

  • deposition

    technical; can include material settling onto a surface

  • crystallization

    narrower; focuses on crystal formation rather than any solid

反義詞
  • dissolution

    a solid mixes into a liquid instead of coming out of it

文法句型

cause precipitation

precipitation of + substance

remove + substance + by precipitation

用法筆記

Common in chemistry classes, lab reports, and technical explanations. It often appears with cause, form, prevent, or of plus the name of the substance.

常見錯誤

❌The reaction made a precipitation.
✅The reaction caused precipitation.
💡this sense usually names the process, so it is normally uncountable.