Red precipitate(Old. Chem), mercuric oxide (HgO) a heavy red crystalline powder obtained by heating mercuric nitrate, or by heating mercury in the air. Prepared in the latter manner, it was the precipitate per se of the alchemists.White precipitate(Old Chem.) (a) A heavy white amorphous powder (NH2.HgCl) obtained by adding ammonia to a solution of mercuric chloride or corrosive sublimate; — formerly called also infusible white precipitate, and now amido-mercuric chloride. (b) A white crystalline substance obtained by adding a solution of corrosive sublimate to a solution of sal ammoniac (ammonium chloride); — formerly called also fusible white precipitate.

Precipitate
(Pre*cip"i*tate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Precipitated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Precipitating.]

Precipitability
(Pre*cip`i*ta*bil"i*ty) n. The quality or state of being precipitable.

Precipitable
(Pre*cip"i*ta*ble) a. Capable of being precipitated, or cast to the bottom, as a substance in solution. See Precipitate, n. (Chem.)

Precipitance
(Pre*cip"i*tance Pre*cip"i*tan*cy) n. [From Precipitant.] The quality or state of being precipitant, or precipitate; headlong hurry; excessive or rash haste in resolving, forming an opinion, or executing a purpose; precipitation; as, the precipitancy of youth. "Precipitance of judgment." I. Watts.

Precipitant
(Pre*cip"i*tant) a. [L. praecipitans, -antis, p. pr. of praecipitare: cf. F. précipitant. See Precipitate.]

1. Falling or rushing headlong; rushing swiftly, violently, or recklessly; moving precipitately.

They leave their little lives
Above the clouds, precipitant to earth.
J. Philips.

Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold,
Precipitant in fear would wing their flight.
Pope.

2. Unexpectedly or foolishly brought on or hastened; rashly hurried; hasty; sudden; reckless. Jer. Taylor. "Precipitant rebellion." Eikon Basilike.

Precipitant
(Pre*cip"i*tant), n. (Chem.) Any force or reagent which causes the formation of a precipitate.

Precipitantly
(Pre*cip"i*tant*ly), adv. With rash or foolish haste; in headlong manner. Milton.

Precipitantness
(Pre*cip"i*tant*ness), n. The quality or state of being precipitant; precipitation.

Precipitate
(Pre*cip"i*tate) a. [L. praecipitatus, p. p. of praecipitare to precipitate, fr. praeceps headlong. See Precipice.]

1. Overhasty; rash; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war. Clarendon.

2. Lacking due deliberation or care; hurried; said or done before the time; as, a precipitate measure. "The rapidity of our too precipitate course." Landor.

3. Falling, flowing, or rushing, with steep descent; headlong.

Precipitate the furious torrent flows.
Prior.

4. Ending quickly in death; brief and fatal; as, a precipitate case of disease. [Obs.] Arbuthnot.

Precipitate
(Pre*cip"i*tate) n. [NL. praecipitatum: cf. F. précipité.]

1. (Chem.) An insoluble substance separated from a solution in a concrete state by the action of some reagent added to the solution, or of some force, such as heat or cold. The precipitate may fall to the bottom may be diffused through the solution, or may float at or near the surface.

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