I. To seize upon, to take possession of or occupy beforehand, to preoccupy.
A. Lit.: “hic ne intrare posset saltum, Datames praeoccupare studuit,” Nep. Dat. 7, 2: “Macedoniam,” id. Eum. 2, 4: “loca opportuna,” Liv. 44, 3; 35, 28; 42, 47: “iter,” Caes. B. C. 3, 13: “Asiam,” Vell. 2, 69, 2; cf.: “praeoccupatum sese legatione ab Cn. Pompeio,” Caes. B. C. 2, 17.—
B. To take, catch, detect, seize in an act: “si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in delicto,” Vulg. Gal. 6, 1.—
C. Trop.: “animos timor praeoccupaverat,” Caes. B. G. 6, 41, 3: “hilaritas praeoccupaverat mentes,” Petr. 113: “praeoccupati beneficio animi,” i. e. won over beforehand, Liv. 6, 20, 10: “aures,” id. 38, 10.—
II. To anticipate, prevent: “ne alter alterum praeoccuparet,” Nep. Dion, 4, 1.—With obj.clause (like the simpler occupare): “legem de multarum aestimatione ipsi praeoccupaverunt ferre,” hastened to bring the bill sooner before the people, Liv. 4, 30, 3.
