praesĭdĭum (noun N) : praeses.
* Lit., a presiding over; hence, defence, protection, help, aid, assistance; esp. of soldiers who are to serve as a guard, garrison, escort, or convoy: proficisci praesidio suis,Nep. Ages. 3: praesidio esse alicui,id. ib. 7: Caes. B. G. 1, 44: hanc sibi rem praesidio sperant futuram,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 65, § 167: tectus praesidio firmo amicorum,id. Sull. 18, 51: absque me foret et meo praesidio, etc.,Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 61: ut meae stultitiae in justitiā tuā sit aliquid praesidii,Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 33: in tutelā ac praesidio bellicae virtutis,Cic. Mur. 10, 22: Veneris praesidio ferox,Hor. C. 1, 15, 13.—Esp. of soldiers acting as a guard, convoy, escort: legiones, quae praesidio impedimentis erant,Caes. B. G. 2, 19: regale,Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 30.
* Transf.
* That which aids, defends, or protects, defence, assistance, protection: ad hoc ipsum judicium cum praesidio venit,Cic. Rosc. Am. 5, 13: armatorum,id. Phil. 2, 44, 112; cf.: O et praesidium,protector,Hor. C. 1, 1, 2: quantum praesidium perdis,Verg. A. 11, 58.
* In partic., in milit. lang., those who by their presence protect a place, a camp, or a supply of arms or provisions, a guard, garrison, convoy, escort, troops, soldiers, etc.: praesidium est dictum, quia extra castra praesidebant loco aliquo, quo tutior regio esset,Varr. L. L. 5, § 90 Müll.: occupatoque oppido, ibi praesidium collocat,garrison,Caes. B. G. 1, 38: (turres) praesidiis firmare,with a garrison, with troops,Sall. J. 23, 1: quam (Italiam) praesidiis confirmaretis,Cic. Agr. 1, 5, 16: obsidere atque occupare,id. ib. 2, 28, 75: ex oppido educere,Caes. B. C. 1, 13: dimittere,Cic. Fam. 2, 17, 3: oppido imponere,Liv. 24, 7: praesidium dedit, ut eo tuto perveniret,an escort,Nep. Ep. 4, 5: praesidium ex arce expellere,a garrison,id. ib. 10, 3: praesidium ex regionibus depellere,id. Paus. 2, 1: praesidia interficere,troops,id. Milt. 4, 1: praesidia custodiasque disponere,posts, pickets,Caes. B. G. 7, 55: Italia tota armis praesidiisque tenetur,troops,Cic. Att. 9, 3, 1: praesidia deducere,Caes. B. G. 2, 33: galeatum ponit ubique Praesidium,Juv. 8, 239.
* Any place occupied by troops, as a hill, a camp, etc.; a post, station, intrenchment, fortification, camp: qui propter metum praesidium relinquit,leaves his post,Cic. Tusc. 3, 8, 17: praesidio decedere,Liv. 4, 29: procul in praesidio esse,Nep. Timol. 1, 4: praesidium occupare et munire,Caes. B. C. 3, 45: cohortes ex proximis praesidiis deductae,id. B. G. 7, 87: milites in praesidiis disponere,id. ib. 7, 34: in praesidiis esse,in the camp, with the army,Cic. Lig. 9, 28: in adversariorum praesidiis,id. Rosc. Am. 43, 126: posito castello super vestigia paterni praesidii,fort,Tac. A. 1, 56: obsidium coepit per praesidia,redoubts,id. ib. 4, 49.—Trop.: de praesidio et statione vitae decedere,Cic. Sen. 26, 73.
* In gen., aid, help, assistance of any kind, Plaut. Pers. 1, 3, 45: quod satis esset praesidii, dedit,every thing needful for his support and safety,Nep. Them. 8, 5: quaerere sibi praesidia periculis, et adjumenta honoribus,Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 70: magnum sibi praesidium ad beatam vitam comparare,id. Tusc. 2, 1, 2: omnibus vel naturae, vel doctrinae praesidiis ad dicendum parati,id. de Or. 1, 9, 38: me biremis praesidio scaphae tutum aura feret,Hor. C. 3, 29, 62: ad praesidium aquae calidae decurritur,Col. 12, 50: praesidia afferre navem factura minorem,Juv. 12, 56.—Trop., defence, protection, help: fortissimum praesidium pudoris,Cic. Sull. 28, 77: insigne maestis praesidium reis,Hor. C. 2, 1, 13: si qua aliunde putas rerum exspectanda tuarum, Praesidia,Juv. 7, 23.
* In partic., a remedy against diseases: aurium morbis praesidium est,Plin. 22, 22, 44, § 90: contra serpentes praesidio esse,id. 28, 4, 7, § 35.

s. TLL