I. To cry in public, make known by crying in public, to publish, proclaim.
A. Lit., of a public crier: “ut praeco praedicat,” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 7, 17: “auctionem praedicem, ipse ut venditem,” id. Stich. 1, 3, 41; cf.: “si palam praeco praedicasset,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 16, § 40; Cic. Quint. 15, 50; id. Off. 3, 13, 55; id. Fam. 5, 12, 8.—
B. Transf.
1. In gen., to make publicly known, to announce, proclaim, to say, relate, state, declare (syn.: “moneo, ante denuntio,” Cic. Verr. 1, 12, 36; 1, 15, 43; “class.): audes mihi praedicare id, Domi te esse?” Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 11: “vera praedico,” id. ib. 3, 2, 20: “aliam nunc mihi orationem despoliato praedicas, atque olim,” you tell a different story, speak another language, id. As. 1, 3, 52: “utrum taceamne an praedicem?” Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 53: “si quidem haec vera praedicat,” id. And. 3, 1, 7.—With obj.-clause: “qui ingenti magnitudine corporum Germanos esse praedicabant,” Caes. B. G. 1, 39; Sall. C. 48, 9; Caes. B. C. 3, 106, 4: “barbari paucitatemque nostrorum militum suis praedicaverunt,” reported, id. B. G. 4, 34: “injuriam in eripiendis legionibus praedicat,” displays, id. B. C. 1, 32, 6: “ut praedicas,” as you assert, Cic. Cat. 1, 9, 23: “quod mihi praedicabas vitium, id tibi est,” that you attribute to me, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 249: “avus tuus tibi aediliciam praedicaret repulsam,” would tell you of the repulse that P. Nasica suffered respecting the edileship, Cic. Planc. 21, 51.—
2. In partic., to praise, laud, commend, vaunt, extol (syn.: laudo, celebro); constr. with aliquid (de aliquo), de aliquā re, and absol., Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 18: “quid ego ejus tibi nunc faciem praedicem aut laudem?” Ter. Eun. 3, 5, 17: “beata vita glorianda et praedicanda est,” Cic. Tusc. 5, 17, 50; Plin. 19, 4, 19, § 57: “aliquid miris laudibus,” id. 25, 5, 18, § 40; 13, 24, 47, § 130; Plin. Ep. 1, 14, 10; Plaut. Trin. 2, 2, 54.—With obj.-clause: “Galli se omnes ab Dite patre prognatos praedicant,” Caes. B. G. 6, 17: “quae de illo viro Sulla, quam graviter saepe praedicaverunt!” Cic. Phil. 11, 13, 33: “qui possit idem de se praedicare, numquam se plus agere, etc.,” id. Rep. 1, 17, 27; cf. id. Pis. 1, 2.—With de aliquā re: “qui de meis in vos meritis praedicaturus non sum,” Caes. B. C. 2, 32.—Absol.: “qui benefacta sua verbis adornant, non ideo praedicare, quia fecerint, sed, ut praedicarent, fecisse creduntur,” Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 15: “verecundia in praedicando,” Tac. Agr. 8 fin. —
3. To preach the gospel (eccl. Lat.): “evangelium,” Vulg. Matt. 4, 23: “baptismum,” id. Marc. 1, 4; absol., id. Matt. 4, 17 et saep.—
II. For praedicere, to foretell, predict (eccl. Lat.): “persecutiones eos passuros praedicabat,” Tert. Fug. in Persec. 6; so, “persecutiones praedicatae,” id. ib. 12.
