a very steep rock face or cliff, especially a tall one 悬崖,峭壁 we swerved toward the edge of the precipice. 我们猛地拐向悬崖边。
语源
late 16th cent. (denoting a headlong fall): from French précipice or Latin praecipitium 'abrupt descent', from praeceps, praecip(it)- 'steep, headlong'