precipitare

to plummet

verb preh-chee-pee-TAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin praecipitare (to throw headlong), from praeceps (headlong, steep).

Also means

to precipitate

Usage Note

Precipitare can be intransitive ('to plunge, to plummet': l'aereo è precipitato — the plane crashed) or transitive/figurative ('to precipitate, to hasten': non precipitare gli eventi — don't rush things). The intransitive sense takes essere as auxiliary; the transitive takes avere. The adjective precipitoso means 'reckless, hasty.'

Examples

"L'aereo è precipitato poco dopo il decollo."

Natural Translation

The plane plummeted shortly after takeoff.

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