I.to cut off in front; hence, in gen., to cut off.
I. Lit. (class.); constr. with acc. alone, or with acc. and dat. or gen. of person.
(α).
With acc. and dat.: “linguam alicui,” Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 12: “manum alicui gladio,” Cic. Inv. 2, 20, 59: “aures, nasum et labia alicui,” Just. 1, 10, 5.—
(β).
With acc. and gen.: “collegae sui praecidi caput jussit,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55: “quae patrem occiderit, manus ejus praecidantur,” Sen. Contr. 9, 27, 8.—
(γ).
With acc.: “manus,” Hirt. B. G. 8, 44: “caput, Quadrig. ap. Gell. l. l.: capita,” Petr. 1: “medici membra praecidunt,” Quint. 8, 3, 75: “capillos,” id. ib. 8, 3, 105: “ancoras,” to cut the cables, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88: “fistulas, quibus aqua suppeditatur,” id. Rab. Perd. 11, 31: “traducem,” Plin. 17, 23, 35, § 211.—
B. Transf.
1. To cut through, cut up (class.): “cotem novaculā,” Cic. Div. 1, 17, 32: “linguam Nicanoris praecisam jussit particulatim avibus dari,” Vulg. 2 Macc. 15, 33: “naves,” to cripple, make unfit for service, Cic. Att. 9, 6, 3.—
2. To beat to pieces, to batter, smash (ante-class.): “praecide os tu illi,” Plaut. Cas. 2, 6, 52 (dub.; cf. id. Pers. 2, 4, 12 Ritschl).—
3. Praecidere sinum maris, to cut off, avoid, i. e. to sail straight (postAug.), Sen. Ep. 53, 1: medium mare, Auct. Quint. Decl. 12, 22; cf. “iter,” Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 83.—
II. Trop., to cut off, to take away.
A. Of speech, to cut short, abridge; to cut short one's words, to be brief, break off or finish abruptly: “dum te obtuetur, interim linguam oculi praeciderunt,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 56: “maximam partem defensionis,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 62, § 151: “sibi licentiam libertatemque vivendi,” id. ib. 2, 3, 1, § “3: sibi reditum,” id. Pis. 22, 51: “per abscissionem significatio fit, si, cum incipimus aliquid dicere, praecidimus,” Auct. Her. 4, 54, 67: “brevi praecidam,” in a word, in short, briefly, Cic. Sen. 16, 57: “praecide, inquit,” cut it short, be brief, id. Ac. 2, 43, 133.—
B. To break off, cut off, end, destroy; esp. with spem: “si non praeciditur spes plebeio quoque, apiscendi summi honoris,” Liv. 4, 3, 7: “praecisa consulatūs spes erit,” id. 4, 3, 15; 24, 31, 12; 42, 50, 1: “id sum assecutus, ut una hora perdito spem judicii corrumpendi praeciderem,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 7, § 20: “utrum spem nostram praecidat an differat,” Sen. Ira, 3, 28, 4; id. Ben. 2, 5, 1.—Also of friendship, etc.: amicitias repente praecidere, to break off suddenly (opp. sensim dissuere), Cic. Off. 1, 33, 120.—
C. To deny flatly, refuse, decline, etc.: “plane sine ullā exceptione praecidit,” flatly refused, Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: “cupiebam eum esse nobiscum: quod quia praeciderat,” id. ib. 10, 16, 1.—Hence, praecīsus , a, um, P. a.
A. Lit., cut or torn off, separated (poet.): “Trinacria Italiā praecisa,” Manil. 4, 630.—Subst.: praecī-sum , i, n., a piece of meat cut off, a cutlet, steak (ante-class.), Naev. ap. Non. 151, 2: praeciso capi, Lucil. ib.—
2. Transf.
a. Castrated (post-class.): “fanatici,” Lampr. Elag. 7: “praecisi ac professi impudientiam,” Sen. Prov. 5, 3.—
b. Broken off, steep, abrupt, precipitous (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “acuta silex praecisis undique saxis,” Verg. A. 8, 233: “iter,” Sall. J. 92, 7: “rupes,” Quint. 12, 9, 2.—
B. Trop.
1. Shortened, short, brief (post-Aug.): “praecisis conclusionibus obscuri,” Quint. 10, 2, 17: “comprehensio,” id. 7, 3, 15.—
2. Troublesome (postclass.): “ut sub obtentu militiae praecisiorem se adversario faceret (al. pretiosiorem),” Dig. 49, 16, 4.—Hence, adv.: prae-cīsē .
1. In short, in few words, briefly, concisely (class.): “praecise dicere (opp. plene et perfecte dicere),” Cic. N. D. 2, 29, 73.—
2. Positively, absolutely (class.): “praecise negare alicui,” Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: “non praecise, sed sub condicione,” Dig. 36, 3, 1.
