I.to go before, precede (in space), to take the lead, get the start; with dat., acc., or absol.
I. Lit.
a. With dat.: ubi ambitionem virtuti videas antecedere, Titin. ap. Non. 499, 8: “si huic rei illa antecedit, huic non antecedit,” Cic. Top. 23.—
b. With acc.: “Pompeius expeditus antecesserat legiones,” Cic. Att. 8, 9: biduo me Antonius antecessit, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 13; Curt. 4, 7, 15: “antecedite me,” Vulg. Gen. 32, 16; ib. 1 Reg. 9, 27; ib. Matt. 2, 9, and so Vulg. always.—
c. Absol.: “magnis itineribus antecessit,” Caes. B. G. 7, 35; Liv. 2, 6; Vell. 1, 4, 1: “antecedente famā,” Liv. 5, 37, 6: antecedens scelestus, * Hor. C. 3, 2, 31.—
II. Fig.
A. To precede, in time: haec (dies) ei antecessit, * Ter. Phorm. 3, 2, 40: “exercitatio semper antecedere cibum debet,” Cels. 1, 2.—
B. To have the precedence of any one, to excel, surpass; with dat. and acc. (cf. Rudd. II. p. 136).
a. With dat.: “virtute regi antecesseris,” Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 118: “quantum natura hominis pecudibus antecedit,” Cic. Off. 1, 30, 105; so id. Brut. 21, 82.—
b. With acc. of person or thing and abl. or abl. with in: “scientiā atque usu nauticarum rerum ceteros antecedunt,” Caes. B. G. 3, 8: “nemo eum in amicitiā antecessit,” Nep. Alcib. 9, 3: “maltha duritiam lapidis antecedens,” Plin. 36, 24, 58, § 18.—
c. Absol., to distinguish one's self, to become eminent: “ut quisque honore et aetate antecedebat,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 64; so id. Inv. 2, 22.—Hence,
1. antĕcēdens , entis, P. a.
b. T. t. of philosophy, the antecedent (opp. consequens): “causa,” Cic. Fat. 11, 33; 15, 34.—In plur. as subst.: an-tĕcēdentĭa , ōrum, n.: “locus ex antecedentibus,” Cic. Top. 12; so id. Part. Or. 2; Quint. 5, 10, 45; 6, 3, 66.—
2. antĕces-sus , a, um, P. a., that goes before; only in the connection, in antecessum dare, solvere, accipere, etc.; t. t., to give, pay, receive, etc., beforehand, in advance (postAug.): “in antecessum dabo,” Sen. Ep. 118: “accipere,” id. ib. 7: “reponere,” id. Ben. 4, 32: “praedam dividere,” Flor. 4, 12, 24 al.