precipice
【考法 1】 n. 悬崖峭壁： a very steep or overhanging place
【例】 a precipice too steep to climb 过于陡峭而无法攀爬的悬崖
【近】 bluff, cliff, crag, escarpment, palisade
【反】 ridge 山脊
【派】 precipitous adj. 陡峭的
precipitate
【考法 1】 adj. 匆忙的： acting or done with excessive or careless speed
【例】 the army's precipitate withdrawal from the field of battle 匆忙将军队从战场上撤下
【近】 cursory, flying, headlong, hurried, overhasty, precipitous, rash, rushed
【反】 deliberate 慎重考虑的；leisurely, unhurried, unrushed 从容不迫的，不慌不忙的
【考法 2】 vt. 促使，导致： to cause to happen, especially suddenly or prematurely
【例】 to precipitate an international crisis 产生国际危机
【近】 accelerate, escalate, expedite, hasten, impel, speed, trigger
【反】 check, encumber, enfetter, hamper, handicap, hinder, manacle, obstruct, retard, trammel 阻碍
【派】 precipitation n. 急促；沉淀；降水
precipitation
【考法 1】 n. 沉积物，尤指降水： something precipitated as a deposit on the earth of hail, mist, rain, sleet, or snow
【例】 The storm brought several inches of precipitation. 风暴带来的降水量高达数英尺。
【近】 deposit, sediment
【考法 2】 n. 仓促： excited and often showy or disorderly speed
【例】 I fear that I may have acted with some precipitation on this matter, so I would like to reconsider. 我害怕
自己在这个事情上考虑得太仓促了，因此我想再想想。
【近】 haste, hastiness, hustle, precipitousness, rush
【反】 deliberation 深思熟虑
precipitous
【考法 1】 adj. 非常陡峭的：very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall
【例】 a precipitous gorge 险峻的峡谷
【近】 abrupt, arduous, precipitate, sheer, steep
【反】 flat, level 平坦的
【考法 2】 adj. 匆忙的： acting or done with excessive or careless speed
【例】 They soon regretted their precipitous actions in international affairs 他们很快就为他们在国际事务中的匆忙举动感到后悔。
【近】 cursory, flying, headlong, hurried, overhasty, precipitate, rash, rushed
【反】 deliberate 慎重考虑的；leisurely, unhurried, unrushed 从容不迫的，不慌不忙的
preclude
【考法 1】 vt. 预先阻止： to make impossible, as by action taken in advance
【例】 Age alone will not preclude him from standing as a candidate. 年龄并没有阻止他成为候选人。
【近】 avert, deter, forestall, obviate, prevent, stave off
【考法 2】 vt. 排斥：to exclude or prevent (someone) from a given condition or activity
【例】 He refused to preclude the subject from discussion . 他拒绝将这个话题排出讨论范围。
【近】 bar, exclude, except
【反】 enclose 圈入
【派】 preclusive adj. 预先阻止的
precursor
【考法 1】 n. 先驱者，先导： one that precedes and indicates the approach of another
【例】 18th-century lyric poets like Robert Burns were precursors of the Romantics. 十八世纪的抒情诗人（如罗伯特·彭斯）是浪漫主义的先驱。
【近】 foregoer, forerunner, harbinger, herald, outrider
【反】 sequela, successor 后继者；descendant 后代
【派】 precursory adj. 先驱性的，开创性的
predecessor
【考法 1】 n. 前任，先辈： a person who has previously occupied a position or office to which another has
succeeded
【例】 a political legacy left by his predecessor 他的前任留下来的政治遗产
【近】 ancestor, antecedent, foregoer, forerunner, precursor
【反】 successor 继任者；descendant 后代
predilection
【考法 1】n. 爱好，偏袒：a partiality or disposition in favor of something
【例】a predilection for travel 热爱旅行
【近】affection, affinity, bias, disposition, inclination, leaning, penchant, predisposition, propensity, tendency
【反】 aversion, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion 反感
preeminent
【考法 1】adj. 优秀的，重要的：having paramount rank, dignity, or importance
【例】The writer's style is brilliant and his command of words, preeminent. 作者的文风和用词都十分出色
【近】distinguished, illustrious, incomparable, notable, outstanding, peerless, superb, supreme, unmatchable
【反】negligible, trivial 不重要的
【派】preeminence n. 杰出
preempt
【考法 1】 vt. 预先占有： to appropriate, seize, or take for oneself before others
【例】 The naughty children had preempted front-row seats that were reserved for the guests of honor. 调皮的孩子们把前排留给贵客的座位占了。
【近】 appropriate, arrogate, commandeer, convert, expropriate, preempt, press, seize, usurp
【考法 2】 v. 替换：to replace with something considered to be of greater value or priority: take precedence over
【例】 The special newscast preempted the usual television program. 特别新闻取代了常规节目。
【近】 displace, replace, supersede, supplant
【派】 preemptive adj. 先发制人的