précipice
/pʁe.si.pis/
cliff
Il se tenait au bord du précipice, le regard perdu dans le vide.
He stood at the edge of the cliff, his gaze lost in the void.
literary
A steep, high cliff or rock face, often associated with danger or a dramatic drop.
Le précipice était si profond qu'on ne voyait pas le fond.
The precipice was so deep that you couldn't see the bottom.
Often used metaphorically to describe a dangerous or critical situation.
Collocations
au bord du précipiceon the edge of a clifftomber dans le précipiceto fall into the abyss
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Metaphorical Use
In French, 'précipice' is often used metaphorically to describe a critical or dangerous situation, similar to 'on the brink' in English.
Word Origin
From Old French 'precipice,' from Latin 'praecipitium,' meaning 'a headlong fall.'
Usage Notes
Can be used both literally to describe a physical cliff and metaphorically to describe a perilous situation.
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais