If something precipitates an event or situation, usually a bad one, it causes it to happen suddenly or sooner than normal.
例句
The killings in Vilnius have precipitated the worst crisis yet...維爾紐斯的幾起謀殺事件導致了迄今為止最嚴重的危機。A slight mistake could precipitate a disaster.小錯誤可能會招致大災難。
ADJ-GRADED
（行動或決定）倉猝的，貿然的，突然的
A precipitate action or decision happens or is made more quickly or suddenly than most people think is sensible.
例句
I don't think we should make precipitate decisions...我認為我們不應該貿然作出決定。Many of our current problems have been caused by precipitate policy making in the past.我們目前的很多問題都是由過去倉猝制定的政策導致的。