PREC'IPICE, noun [Latin proecipitium, from proeceps, headlong; proe, forward, and ceps, for caput, head. See Chief.] 1. Strictly, a falling headlong; hence, a steep descent of land; a fall or descent of land, perpendicular or nearly so. Where wealth, like fruit, on precipices grew. 2. A steep descent, in general. In the breaking of the waves there is ever a precipice Swift down the precipice of time it goes.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI