Precipice definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PREC'IPICE, n. [L. proecipitium, from proeceps,headlong; proe, forward,and ceps, for caput, head. See Chief.]
1. Strictly, a falling headlong; hence, a steep descent of land; a fall or descent of land, perpendicular or nearly so.
Where wealth, like fruit, on precipices grew.
2. A steep descent, in general.
In the breaking of the waves there is ever a precipice.
Swift down the precipice of time it goes.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a very steep cliff

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: French, from Middle French, from Latin praecipitium, from praecipit-, praeceps headlong, from prae- + caput head — more at head Date: 1613 1. a very steep or overhanging place 2. a hazardous situation; broadly brink

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a vertical or steep face of a rock, cliff, mountain, etc. 2 a dangerous situation. Etymology: F précipice or L praecipitium falling headlong, precipice (as PRECIPITOUS)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Precipice Prec"i*pice, n. [F. pr['e]cipice, L. praecipitium, fr. praeceps, -cipitis, headlong; prae before + caput, capitis, the head. See Pre-, and Chief.] 1. A sudden or headlong fall. [Obs.] --Fuller. 2. A headlong steep; a very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging place; an abrupt declivity; a cliff. Where wealth like fruit on precipices grew. --Dryden.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(precipices) 1. A precipice is a very steep cliff on a mountain. N-COUNT 2. If you say that someone is on the edge of a precipice, you mean that they are in a dangerous situation in which they are extremely close to disaster or failure. The King now stands on the brink of a political precipice. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Cliff, crag, steep, abrupt declivity, clift.

Moby Thesaurus

bluff, cliff, crag, crest, escarpment, face, hilltop, knoll, lofty peak, mountaintop, palisade, palisades, peak, pic, pico, pike, pinnacle, point, scar, scarp, spur, steep, summit, tor, wall