1. vt. & vi.（使）突然发生　 (cause to) happen suddenly or sooner; hasten
2. vt.使突然陷入　 throw sb/sth suddenly into
3. vt.沉淀，析出　 cause a substance to do this
4. vt. & vi.（使水汽）冷凝成为雨、雪等　 (cause vapour to) condense from rain, snow etc.

　～ against sb　攻击某人
　～ sth down a cliff　自山崖上抛下某物
　～ from the housetop　从屋顶跳下
　～ in sth　在…上突然进入
　～ a country into war　使某个国家突然陷入战争
　～ oneself into danger　使自己突然陷入危险
　～ sb into misery　使某人突然陷入苦海
　～ over sth into　使从…上进入
　～ to　使到…的地步
　～ upon　攻击

　Rain precipitates.　突然下起了雨。
　Crisis precipitated, as people expected.　正像预料的那样，危机一下子出现了。
　The waterfall precipitates itself between the mountains.　瀑布在山间急泻而下。
　Her remark precipitated my decision.　她的话促使我仓促作出决定。
　Falling sales precipitated the failure of the company.　销售额下降促使该公司倒闭。
　All this would reduce profits and precipitate an economic crisis.　所有这一切将会减少利润，导致经济危机。
　Fears about the solvency of the banks precipitated the great economic crash.　对银行偿付能力出现恐慌更加速了经济的崩溃。
　How many wars have been precipitated by firebrands!　多少次战争是由煽动者所引起！

 ♣ precipitate as　(v.+prep.)
　凝结成…　condense into sth
　Clouds usually precipitate as rain or snow.　云常会凝结成雨或雪。
 ♣ precipitate from　(v.+prep.)
1. （使）从…陡然下落 (cause to) fall down suddenly from sth
　He precipitated himself from the housetop.　他从屋顶上纵然跳下。
　The explosion precipitated tons of snow from the mountain.　爆炸使成吨的雪从山上陡然下落。
2. 从…中冷凝；从…淀析出 condense from sth; cause a substance to do this from sth
　An ice-filled glass precipitates moisture from the air.　装满冰的玻璃杯能使空气中的水汽凝结成水滴。
　Water precipitates camphor from its alcoholic solution.　水能把樟脑从其酒精溶液中淀析出来。
 ♣ precipitate into　(v.+prep.)
　猛摔进…；使突然进入，陷入…　throw forwards or downwards with great force into sth; force (sb/sth) suddenly into (a state or activity, usually bad)
　The cart overturned and precipitated us into the ditch.　车子翻了，我们被摔进了沟里。
　The accident precipitated them into the depth of adversity.　意外事故使他们一下子陷入了苦海。
　He precipitated himself into new troubles.　他突然陷入新的烦恼之中。
　He precipitated himself into fight.　他奋力投入搏斗。
　The border incident precipitated the two countries into war.　边境事件使两国突然陷入战争。
　The civil war precipitated the country into a crisis.　内战使这个国家一下子陷入了危机。
　She put up her hair and suddenly she was precipitated into maturity.　她把头发束起，一下子就变得像大人了。
　The company was precipitated into ruin when the exchange rate dropped.　汇率下降时，公司一下子破了产。
 ♣ precipitate to　(v.+prep.)
　使…突然…到　force (sb/sth) suddenly to sth
　He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground.　他失足摔倒在地上。

　下列两句的意思相同：
　
　两句中的as都不可以省去。