I.to go before, precede (seems not to occur in Cic., Nep., Tac., or Sall.; once in Cæs.; syn.: antecedo, anteverto).
I. Act., to go before, precede a person or thing.
A. Lit. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): “aliquem,” Suet. Dom. 14: “custodes,” Just. 14, 4: “agmen,” Verg. A. 9, 47: “is praecedens agmen militum ad tribunal pergit,” Liv. 7, 13, 2: “praetoriā nave praecedente classem,” id. 35, 26, 7; 38, 41, 12: “taurus armenta praecedit,” Sen. Ep. 90, 4; id. Contr. 3, 16, 8: “exsequias fax cereusque praecessit,” id. Tranq. 11, 7: “gradum nostrum aut praecedentes aut sequentes,” Vell. 2, 114, 1.—Of inanimate subjects: “at quae venturas praecedet sexta Calendas,” Ov. F. 1, 705; Vell. 2, 129, 3.—
B. Trop., to surpass, outstrip, outdo, excel, be superior to (rare but class.): “Helvetii reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt,” excel in bravery, Caes. B. G. 1, 1, 4: “ego vestros honores rebis gerendis praecessi,” Liv. 38, 51, 11: “ceteras omnis sapore praecedere,” Col. 3, 2, 7: “omnes,” Val. Max. 1, 1, 14: “Baetica cunctas provinciarum divite cultu praecedit,” Plin. 3, 1, 3, § 7: “in quo praecessit omnes D. Silanus,” id. 18, 3, 5, § 23: “omnes sapientiā,” Vulg. Eccl. 1, 16.—
II. Neutr., to go before, precede, lead the way (class.).
A. Lit.: “opus esse et ipsos praecedere ad confirmandam civitatem,” Caes. B. G. 7, 54: “cum equite, ut prius venisse quam venturum sciant, praecedam,” Liv. 22, 51, 2: “praecedebat ipse vinctus, sequebatur grex, etc.,” id. 30, 13, 2; 39, 39, 8; 42, 59, 1: “equitem ex Paeoniā praecedere jubet,” Curt. 4, 12, 22; 3, 4, 13; 5, 8, 5; Suet. Galb. 12; id. Calig. 32: “cervi maria tranant capita imponentes praecedentium clunibus,” Plin. 8, 32, 50, § 114.—
2. Of inanim. subjects: “fama loquax praecessit ad aures, Deïanira, tuas,” Ov. M. 9, 137: “umbra,” id. ib. 5, 614; “Plin 31, 6, 33, § 64: nullā praecedente injuriā,” without previous injury, id. 11, 37, 55, § 149.—
C. Trop., to surpass, excel; with the dat. (ante-class.): “ut vostrae fortunae meis praecedunt longe,” Plaut. As. 3, 3, 39.