(verb) : prae-sĭdĕo, sēdi (praesīdi in best MSS., Tac. A. 1, 76), ēre, and
* A. [sedeo], to sit before or in front of.
* Lit. (mostly postclass. and rare): pro aede Capitolini Jovis praesidere,Suet. Aug. 26.
* Transf., in time, to sit beforehand: in cujus (Mutini) sinu nubentes praesident, ut, etc.,Lact. 1, 20 fin.
* Trop.
* To guard, watch, protect, defend.
* With dat.: ego hic tibi praesidebo,Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 47: ego hic restitrix praesidebo,id. Truc. 4, 2, 5; id. Rud. 4, 4, 7: urbi,Cic. Phil. 13, 9, 20; Liv. 22, 11, 9; cf. id. 10, 17; 23, 32 init.; 24, 40 init.; 36, 5, 5; 38, 51, 8: Gallia, quae semper praesidet atque praesedit huic imperio libertatique communi,Cic. Phil. 5, 13, 37: huic urbi, atque huic imperio,id. Sull. 31, 86.
* To preside over, to have the care or management of, to superintend, direct, command (syn. praesum).
* With dat.: ut idem ad portas urbanis praesideat rebus,Caes. B. C. 1, 85: Mars...praesidet armis,Ov. F. 3, 85: Actiacis ludis,Suet. Tib. 6: spectaculis,id. Claud. 7.
* With acc.: P. Atellio, qui Pannoniam praesidebat,who commanded in Pannonia,Tac. A. 12, 29: exercitum,to command,id. ib. 3, 39.
* With in and abl.: Metellus in agro Piceno praesidebat,Sall. C. 57, 2.
* Absol.: (in senatu) princeps praesidebat,presided,Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 10.—Hence, praesĭdens, entis, P. a.; as subst.: a president, director, ruler (post-Aug. for praeses): superbia praesidentium,governors,Tac. A. 3, 40: praesidentium apparitores, Cod. Th. 8, 7, 13.

s. TLL