Lewis Short
(verb) : prae-cēdo, cessi, cessum, 3, and n.
* To go before, precede (seems not to occur in Cic., Nep., Tac., or Sall.; once in Caes.; syn.: antecedo, anteverto).
* Act., to go before, precede a person or thing.
* Lit. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): aliquem,Suet. Dom. 14: custodes,Just. 14, 4: agmen,Verg. A. 9, 47: is praecedens agmen militum ad tribunal pergit,Liv. 7, 13, 2: praetoriā nave praecedente classem,id. 35, 26, 7; 38, 41, 12: taurus armenta praecedit,Sen. Ep. 90, 4; id. Contr. 3, 16, 8: exsequias fax cereusque praecessit,id. Tranq. 11, 7: gradum nostrum aut praecedentes aut sequentes,Vell. 2, 114, 1.—Of inanimate subjects: at quae venturas praecedet sexta Calendas,Ov. F. 1, 705; Vell. 2, 129, 3.
* Neutr., to go before, precede, lead the way (class.).
* Lit.: opus esse et ipsos praecedere ad confirmandam civitatem,Caes. B. G. 7, 54: cum equite, ut prius venisse quam venturum sciant, praecedam,Liv. 22, 51, 2: praecedebat ipse vinctus, sequebatur grex, etc.,id. 30, 13, 2; 39, 39, 8; 42, 59, 1: equitem ex Paeoniā praecedere jubet,Curt. 4, 12, 22; 3, 4, 13; 5, 8, 5; Suet. Galb. 12; id. Calig. 32: cervi maria tranant capita imponentes praecedentium clunibus,Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 114.
* Of inanim. subjects: fama loquax praecessit ad aures, Deïanira, tuas,Ov. M. 9, 137: umbra,id. ib. 5, 614; Plin 31, 6, 33, § 64: nullā praecedente injuriā,without previous injury,id. 11, 37, 55, § 149.
* Transf., to be older: decem et octo annis,Just. Inst. 1, 11, 4.
* Trop., to surpass, excel; with the dat. (ante-class.): ut vostrae fortunae meis praecedunt longe,Plaut. As. 3, 3, 39.
Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary