(v. a.P. a.adv.) : prae-cīdo (old form praecaedit, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 9, 13, 18), cīdi, cīsum, 3, v. a. caedo
* To cut off in front; hence, in gen., to cut off.
* Lit. (class.); constr. with acc. alone, or with acc. and dat. or gen. of person.
* With acc. and dat.: linguam alicui,Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 12: manum alicui gladio,Cic. Inv. 2, 20, 59: aures, nasum et labia alicui,Just. 1, 10, 5.
* Trop., to cut off, to take away.
* Transf.
* To cut through, cut up (class.): cotem novaculā,Cic. Div. 1, 17, 32: linguam Nicanoris praecisam jussit particulatim avibus dari,Vulg. 2 Macc. 15, 33: naves,to cripple, make unfit for service,Cic. Att. 9, 6, 3.
* To beat to pieces, to batter, smash (ante-class.): praecide os tu illi,Plaut. Cas. 2, 6, 52 (dub.; cf. id. Pers. 2, 4, 12 Ritschl).
* Praecidere sinum maris, to cut off, avoid, i. e. to sail straight (postAug.), Sen. Ep. 53, 1: medium mare, Auct. Quint. Decl. 12, 22; cf. iter,Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 83.
* Of speech, to cut short, abridge; to cut short one's words, to be brief, break off or finish abruptly: dum te obtuetur, interim linguam oculi praeciderunt,Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 56: maximam partem defensionis,Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 62, § 151: sibi licentiam libertatemque vivendi,id. ib. 2, 3, 1, § 3: sibi reditum,id. Pis. 22, 51: per abscissionem significatio fit, si, cum incipimus aliquid dicere, praecidimus,Auct. Her. 4, 54, 67: brevi praecidam,in a word, in short, briefly,Cic. Sen. 16, 57: praecide, inquit,cut it short, be brief,id. Ac. 2, 43, 133.
* To break off, cut off, end, destroy; esp. with spem: si non praeciditur spes plebeio quoque, apiscendi summi honoris,Liv. 4, 3, 7: praecisa consulatūs spes erit,id. 4, 3, 15; 24, 31, 12; 42, 50, 1: id sum assecutus, ut una hora perdito spem judicii corrumpendi praeciderem,Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 7, § 20: utrum spem nostram praecidat an differat,Sen. Ira, 3, 28, 4; id. Ben. 2, 5, 1.—Also of friendship, etc.: amicitias repente praecidere, to break off suddenly (opp. sensim dissuere), Cic. Off. 1, 33, 120.
* To deny flatly, refuse, decline, etc.: plane sine ullā exceptione praecidit,flatly refused,Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: cupiebam eum esse nobiscum: quod quia praeciderat,id. ib. 10, 16, 1.—Hence, praecīsus, a, um, P. a.
* Lit., cut or torn off, separated (poet.): Trinacria Italiā praecisa,Manil. 4, 630.—Subst.: praecī-sum, i, n., a piece of meat cut off, a cutlet, steak (ante-class.), Naev. ap. Non. 151, 2: praeciso capi, Lucil. ib.
* Transf.
* Trop.
* Broken off, steep, abrupt, precipitous (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): acuta silex praecisis undique saxis,Verg. A. 8, 233: iter,Sall. J. 92, 7: rupes,Quint. 12, 9, 2.
* Shortened, short, brief (post-Aug.): praecisis conclusionibus obscuri,Quint. 10, 2, 17: comprehensio,id. 7, 3, 15.
* Troublesome (postclass.): ut sub obtentu militiae praecisiorem se adversario faceret (al. pretiosiorem),Dig. 49, 16, 4.—Hence, adv.: prae-cīsē.
* In short, in few words, briefly, concisely (class.): praecise dicere (opp. plene et perfecte dicere),Cic. N. D. 2, 29, 73.
* Positively, absolutely (class.): praecise negare alicui,Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: non praecise, sed sub condicione,Dig. 36, 3, 1.

s. TLL

s. TLL