Precipitate as a verb means to cause something to happen suddenly or sooner than expected, often in a way that creates problems. When a careless comment precipitates an argument between friends, it triggers a conflict that might not have happened otherwise. A country's aggressive action might precipitate a war. A sudden economic shock could precipitate a financial crisis.

When you precipitate an event, you're setting off a chain reaction, like the first domino falling and knocking down all the others.

In chemistry and weather, precipitate has related but distinct meanings. In chemistry, when you precipitate a substance, you cause solid particles to form and fall out of a liquid solution, like when dissolved salt suddenly crystallizes. In weather, precipitation refers to water falling from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Both meanings share that idea of something falling or dropping suddenly.

The adjective form, precipitate, describes actions that are too hasty or rash. A precipitate decision is one made without enough thought, rushing headlong toward consequences you haven't considered carefully enough.

As a noun, a precipitate is the solid material that forms and separates out of a liquid during a chemical reaction.