I. Lit., headforemost, headlong (class.): “praecipitem trahi,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 79: “aliquem praecipitem deicere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 40, § 86: “praeceps ad terram datus,” dashed to the ground, Liv. 31, 37: “praeceps curru ab alto Desilit,” Ov. M. 12, 128: “hic se praecipitem tecto dedit,” threw himself headlong from the roof, Hor. S. 1, 2, 41: “aliquem in praeceps jacere,” headlong, Tac. A. 4, 22; so, “jacto in praeceps corpore,” id. ib. 6, 49; cf.: “in praeceps deferri,” Liv. 5, 47.—For in praeceps, in late Lat., per praeceps occurs: “abiit grex per praeceps in mare,” Vulg. Matt. 8, 32; id. Judic. 5, 22.—Hence, of one going rapidly, headforemost, headlong: “de ponte Ire praecipitem in lutum per caputque pedesque,” Cat. 17, 9: “se jacere praecipitem e vertice,” id. 63, 244; Verg. A. 5, 860: “ab equo praeceps decidit,” Ov. Ib. 259: “(apes) praecipites Cadunt,” Verg. G. 4, 80: “aliquem praecipitem agere,” to drive headlong, Cic. Caecin. 21, 60; Verg. A. 5, 456: “praecipites se fugae mandabant,” Caes. B. G. 2, 24: “Monoeten In mare praecipitem deturbat,” Verg. A. 5, 175; cf.: “praeceps amensque cucurri,” Ov. M. 7, 844: “praeceps Fertur,” is borne headlong, rushes, Hor. S. 1, 4, 30: “nuntii,” Tac. H. 2, 6.—
B. Transf., of inanim. things.
1. Of localities, qs. that descend suddenly in front, i. e. downhill, steep, precipitous: “in declivi ac praecipiti loco,” Caes. B. G. 4, 33: “via (opp. plana),” Cic. Fl. 42, 105: “saxa,” Liv. 38, 23: “fossae,” Ov. M. 1, 97; Verg. A. 11, 888: “iter,” Ov. Tr. 4, 3, 74; cf. “trop.: iter ad malum praeceps ac lubricum,” Cic. Rep. 1, 28, 44: “loci,” Col. 1, 2: “mons,” Plin. Pan. 16.—
b. Subst.: praeceps , cĭpĭtis, n., a steep place, a precipice: “turrim in praecipiti stantem,” Verg. A. 2, 460: “specus vasto in praeceps hiatu,” Plin. 2, 45, 44, § 115: “in praeceps pervenitur,” Vell. 2, 3, 4: “immane,” Juv. 10, 107: “altissimum,” App. M. 4, p. 144 med.—In plur.: “in praecipitia cursus iste deducit,” Sen. Ep. 8, 4.—
2. Sinking, declining: “(in vitibus) praecipites palmites dicuntur, qui de hornotinis virgis enati in duro alligantur,” Col. 5, 6, 33: “sol Praecipitem lavit aequore currum,” Verg. G. 3, 359: “jam praeceps in occasum sol erat,” Liv. 10, 42: “dies,” id. 4, 9; cf.: “senectus,” Curt. 6, 5, 3. —
3. In gen., swift, rapid, rushing, violent (poet.; “syn.: celer, velox): praeceps Anio,” Hor. C. 1, 7, 13: “Boreas,” Ov. M. 2, 185: “nox,” fleeting, transient, id. ib. 9, 485: “procella,” Stat. Th. 5, 419: “oceani fragor,” Val. Fl. 3, 404: “letum,” Sen. Hippol. 262: “remedium,” Curt. 3, 6, 2.—
II. Trop., headlong, hasty, rash, precipitate.
A. In gen. (class.): “noster erus, qui scelestus sacerdotem anum praecipes Reppulit,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 3, 10: “sol jam praecipitans me quoque haec praecipitem paene evolvere coëgit,” almost headlong, precipitately, Cic. de Or. 3, 55, 209: “agunt eum praecipitem poenae civium Romanorum,” chase, pursue, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 3, § 7: “praecipitem amicum ferri sinere,” to rush into the abyss, id. Lael. 24, 89: “quoniam ab inimicis praeceps agor,” am pursued, Sall. C. 31, 9: “praeceps celeritas dicendi,” Cic. Fl. 20, 48: profectio, Att. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 10, 6: occumbunt multi letum ... praecipe cursu, in rapid destruction, Enn. l. l.—With gen.: “SI NON FATORVM PRAECEPS HIC MORTIS OBISSET,” sudden as regards fate, Inscr. Grut. 695, 9, emended by Minervini in Bullet. Arch. Napol. III. 1845, p. 41 (but Minervini's assumption of a new adj., praeceps, from praecipio, anticipating fale, is unnecessary).—
B. In partic.
1. Rash, hasty, inconsiderate: “homo in omnibus consiliis praeceps,” Cic. Phil. 5, 13, 37: praeceps et effrenata mens, id. Cael. 15, 35: “praeceps consilium et immaturum,” Suet. Aug. 8: “cogitatio,” id. Calig. 48: “audacia,” Val. Max. 1, 6, 7.—
2. Inclined to any thing: “praeceps in avaritiam et crudelitatem animus,” Liv. 26, 38: “praeceps ingenio in iram,” id. 23, 7: “animus ad flagitia praeceps,” Tac. A. 16, 21.—
3. Dangerous, hazardous, critical: “in tam praecipiti tempore,” Ov. F. 2, 400.—Hence,
b. Subst.: praeceps , cĭpĭtis, n.
(α).
Great danger, extremity, extreme danger, critical circumstances: “se et prope rem publicam in praeceps dederat,” brought into extreme danger, Liv. 27, 27: “levare Aegrum ex praecipiti,” Hor. S. 2, 3, 292: “aeger est in praecipiti,” Cels. 2, 6.—
(β).
The highest part, summit, sublimity (postAug.): “omne in praecipiti vitium stetit,” at its point of culmination, Juv. 1, 149: “debet orator erigi, attolli, efferri, ac saepe accedere ad praeceps,” to verge on the sublime, Plin. Ep. 9, 26, 2.—Hence, adv.: prae-ceps , headlong.
1. Lit.: “aliquem praeceps trahere,” Tac. A. 4, 62: “ex his fulgoribus quaedam praeceps eunt, similia prosilientibus stellis,” Sen. Q. N. 1, 15, 2: “moles convulsa dum ruit intus immensam vim mortalium praeceps trahit atque operit,” Tac. A. 4, 62: “toto praeceps se corpore ad undas Misit,” Verg. A. 4, 253.—
2. Trop.: “eversio rei familiaris dignitatem ac famam praeceps dabat,” brought into danger, Tac. A. 6, 17: “praeceps in exsilium acti,” suddenly, hastily, Amm. 29, 1, 21.