(adjective) : praecox, cŏcis, also praecŏquis, e, and praecŏquus, a, um, praecoquo
* Ripe before its time, early ripe, rareripe, premature, precocious (syn. praematurus).
* Lit.: allium praecox,Plin. 19, 6, 34, § 112: rosa,id. 21, 4, 10, § 19: germinationes,id. 17, 2, 2, § 16: pira,Col. 5, 10: vites praecoquis fructus,id. 3, 2: ex unā praecoque vite,id. 3, 9: uvas praecoquas legere,id. 12, 37: arbores,bearing fruit before their time,Plin. 16, 27, 50, § 114: quando jam praecoquae uvae vesci possunt, when theearliest grapes are ripe, Vulg. Num. 13, 21.
* Transf.: loca, and subst.: prae-cŏcĭa, ĭum, n., places where fruits ripen early, Plin. 17, 11, 16, § 79; 18, 24, 54, § 197.
* Trop., over-hasty, premature, precocious, untimely (poet. and in post - Aug. prose; not in Cic.): pugna, Enn. ap. Non. 150, 16 (Ann. v. 282): ingeniorum velut praecox genus,Quint. 1, 3, 3: risus praecox,Plin. 7 prooem. 1, § 2: audacia,i. e. of a boy,Sen. Brev. Vit. 6: fuga, Lucil. ap. Non. 150, 17; Varr. ap. ib. 157, 3: praecoquis libido, Nov. ap. ib. 150, 18; Afran. ap. Gell. 10, 11, 9.—* Adv.: praecŏquē, prematurely, etc.: properans, Auct. Itin. Alex. 38 Mai.

s. TLL