I.to cut off before or in front, to cut off or out (not in Cic.).
I. Lit.: “pars cultello praesecatur,” Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 34: “brassica ut praesica, quod ex ejus scapo minutatim praesecatur,” id. L. L. 5, § 104 Müll.: “partem,” Ov. R. Am. 112: “projecturas tignorum,” Vitr. 4, 2: “lineam,” Plin. 32, 2, 5, § 13: “praesecta vitis,” id. 17, 15, 25, § 115: “praesecata gula,” App. M. 1, p. 108, 15.—
II. Trop.: praesectum decies non castigavit ad unguem, has not corrected by the pared nail, i. e. to perfect accuracy, Hor. A. P. 294 Bentl. and Haupt (but the better reading is perfectum).
