I.v. dep. a.
I. To avert, ward off (from one's self or others) by earnest prayer; to deprecate; also to pray, to intercede for the averting of any evil, or to obtain pardon for any transgression (cf. Gell. 6, 16, 3).
A. In gen. (for syn. cf.: averto, averrunco, avoco, revoco —freq. and class.), constr. with the acc. (rei v. personae), the inf., the acc. and inf., ne, quominus, quin, and absol.
(α).
With acc. rei: “ullam ab sese calamitatem,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 60 fin.; cf.: “ut a me quandam prope justam patriae querimoniam detester ac deprecer,” id. Cat. 1, 11: quibus servitutem mea miseria deprecor? Enn. ap. Gell. 6, 16, 9; cf.: “ego meae cum vitae parcam, letum inimico deprecer?” id. ib. § “10: qui nullum genus supplicii deprecatus est neque recusavit,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52: “mortem,” Caes. B. G. 7, 40, 6; cf.: “non jam mortem neque aerumnas, tantummodo inimici imperium et cruciatus corporis deprecor,” Sall. J. 24, 10: “periculum,” Caes. B. C. 1, 5; Asin. Pollio ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 31, 3 (with refugere), Liv. 3, 58: “poenam,” id. 40, 15: “ignominiam,” id. 27, 20 fin.: “iram senatus,” id. 39, 35: “praecipiendi munus,” Quint. 2, 12, 12 et saep.—Of abstract subjects: “Claudii invidiam Gracchi caritas deprecabatur,” averted, Cic. Rep. 6, 2 (ap. Gell. 6, 16, 11; and Non. 290, 17).—
(β).
With acc. pers., usually in the sense of praying: “quem deprecarentur, cum omnes essent sordidati?” Cic. Sest. 12: in hoc te deprecor, ne, etc., Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 1: “Patres, ne festinarent decernere, etc.,” Liv. 34, 59: “senatum litteris deprecatus est, ne, etc.,” Suet. Caes. 29: “dispensatorem deprecati sumus, ut, etc.,” Petr. 30, 9: “deos mala (opp. bona rogare),” Sen. Q. N. 2, 33; cf.: “hoc superos, hoc te quoque deprecor,” Val. Fl. 8, 53: “numina versu,” Petr. 133, 2: Dominum, Vulg. Esth. 14, 3 et saep.—Less freq. in the sense of averting: “lecto te solum, lecto te deprecor uno,” Prop. 2, 34, 17 (3, 32, 7 M.).—
(δ).
With acc. and inf., to plead in excuse: “postquam errasse regem et Jugurthae scelere lapsum deprecati sunt,” Sall. J. 104, 4.—(ε) With ne: “primum deprecor, ne me, etc.,” Cic. Fin. 2, 1: “unum petere ac deprecari ... ne se armis despoliaret,” Caes. B. G. 2, 31, 4: “spem ne nostram fieri patiare caducam, deprecor,” Ov. H. 15 (16), 170; cf. no., β; so, “opp. to postulo ut,” Liv. 40, 15, 8.—And with the dat. of the person for whom one entreats: deprecari alicui ne vapulet, Plaut. As. grex 5.—(ζ) With quominus: “neque illum se deprecari, quominus pergat,” Liv. 3, 9, 10 (but non precarere is the true reading in Cic. Fin. 2, 24, 79 fin.).—So very rarely (η) with quin: “quin gravedinem ipsi ferat frigus,” Cat. 44, 18.—(θ) With ut (rarely): “deprecatus esse dicitur, ut se tertium in amicitiam reciperent,” Lact. 5, 17, 23; cf. “supra,” Petr. 30, 9.—(ι) Absol.: “pro amico, pro republica deprecari,” Cic. Sest. 12 fin.; cf. Suet. Claud. 21; id. Vit. 14: “arma deponat, roget, deprecetur,” Cic. Phil. 5, 1, 3; id. Or. 40, 138; Caes. B. G. 4, 7, 3; Quint. 5, 13, 2; *Verg. A. 12, 931 al.—
B. In relig. lang., to imprecate: diras devotiones in eum deprecata, Ap. M. 9, p. 227.—
2. Transf.: “quasi non totidem mox deprecor illi Assidue,” execrate, Cat. 92, 3 (dictum est quasi detestor vel exsecror vel depello vel abominor, Gell. 6, 16, 5).—
II. To pray for, intercede in behalf of (that which is in danger): “vitam alicujus ab aliquo,” Cic. Sull. 26; cf. vitam sibi, Auct. B. Afr. 89, 3; “paucos dies exsolvendo donativo deprecatum,” Tac. H. 1, 41: “quos senatus non ad pacem deprecandam, sed ad denuntiandum bellum miserat,” Cic. Fam. 12, 24. Also with personal objects: “a vobis deprecor custodem salutis meae,” Cic. Planc. 42, 102: “nullae sunt imagines, quae me a vobis deprecentur,” id. Agr. 2, 36 fin.: “te assiduae lacrimae C. Marcelli deprecantur,” id. Fam. 4, 7 fin.—Sometimes, by zeugma, deprecor is used in both senses, I. and II., with different objects: non mortem sed dilationem mortis deprecantur, Justin. 11, 9, 14; Gronov. ad loc.!*? dēprĕcātus , in pass. signif.: “deprecatum bellum,” Just. 8, 5, 4: deprecato summo numine, Ap. M. 11, p. 270.