I.a., to fly by or past (class.).
I. Lit.: “praetervolans aquila,” Suet. Claud. 7.—With acc.: “quem praetervolat Ales,” Cic. Arat. 412.—
B. Transf., to fly or sail over, fly across: “hasta medias praetervolat auras,” Sil. 10, 114: “puppe lacum praetervolat,” Claud. B. G. 321; “in tmesi: Etrusca praeter et volate litora,” Hor. Epod. 16, 40.—
II. Trop., to slip by, to escape: “sententiae saepe acutae non acutorum hominum sensus praetervolant,” Cic. de Or. 3, 59, 223: “dum sententias animis attentis excipiunt, fugit eos et praetervolat numerus,” slips away, escapes, id. Or. 58, 197: “haec duo proposita non praetervolant, sed ita dilatant, ut, etc.,” i. e. do not pass over cursorily, id. Ac. 2, 13, 42.
