Precipitating

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Precipitate \Pre*cip"i*tate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Precipitated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Precipitating}.]
     1. To throw headlong; to cast down from a precipice or
        height.
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              She and her horse had been precipitated to the
              pebbled region of the river.          --W. Irving.
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     2. To urge or press on with eager haste or violence; to cause
        to happen, or come to a crisis, suddenly or too soon; as,
        precipitate a journey, or a conflict.
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              Back to his sight precipitates her steps. --Glover.
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              If they be daring, it may precipitate their designs,
              and prove dangerous.                  --Bacon.
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     3. (Chem.) To separate from a solution, or other medium, in
        the form of a precipitate; as, water precipitates camphor
        when in solution with alcohol.
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              The light vapor of the preceding evening had been
              precipitated by the cold.             --W. Irving.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  precipitating
       adj : bringing on suddenly or abruptly; "the completion of the
             railroad was the precipitating cause in the extinction
             of water-borne commerce" [syn: {precipitating(a)}]