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prĕhendo (prae- ) and sync. pren-do (praen- ), di, sum, 3, v. a. prae-hendo; cf. Gr. γεντο, χανδάνω,
I.to lay hold of, to grasp, snatch, seize, catch, take (class.).
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: prehende auriculis, take by the ear-laps, a form of affectionate salutation, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 78: “sine te exorem, sine te prendam auriculis, sine dem savium,id. Poen. 1, 2, 163; cf. Tib. 2, 5, 92: “fauces alicui,Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 62: “quis me properantem prehendit pallio?catches me by the cloak, id. Ep. 1, 1, 1: “dexteram,id. ib. 2, 3, 65.—Of an embrace' alter ubi alterum bilingui manufesto inter se praehendunt, Plaut. Ps. 5, 1, 15; cf.: “aliquem manu,Cic. de Or. 1, 56, 240: “perdix aucupem jam jam prehensurum effugiens,Plin. 10, 33, 51, § 103; 30, 5, 12, § 40: “pisces,Vulg. Johan. 21, 10.—
B. In partic.
1. To seize, occupy suddenly, take violent possession of: “Pharum,Caes. B. C. 3, 112, 3: “quam prendimus arcem,occupy, take refuge in, Verg. A. 2, 322.—
3. To seize, take by surprise, catch in the act; constr. with in and abl., the simple abl., or gen.: “in furto ubi sis prehensus,Plaut. As. 3, 2, 17: “in patenti Prensus Aegaeo,Hor. C. 2, 16, 1: “prensus manifesto furto,Gell. 11, 18, 7: eā nocte speculatores prensi servi tres, Auct. B. Hisp. 20, 5: quem mendaci praendit manufestum modo, caught in a lie, Plaut Bacch. 4, 4, 45.—
4. Of trees, to take root: “quarum stirpes tellus amplexa prehendit,Cic. Arat. 116: “ut cum (pirorum plantae) prehenderint, inserantur,Pall. 3, 25: “vites transferre, sine ambiguitate prehendendi,id. 3, 10.—
5. To reach, attain, arrive at (poet.): “tandem Italiae fugientes prendimus oras,Verg. A. 6, 61.—
6. Poet., to take in with the eye, to reach with the eye: “prendere aliquid oculorum lumine,Lucr. 4, 1143: “vix oculo prendente modum,taking in, embracing, Luc. 4, 20.—
II. Trop., of the mind, to seize, apprehend, comprehend (very rare): “cum animus ipsum (res omnes) moderantem atque regentem paene praehenderit,Cic. Leg. 1, 23, 61.
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hide References (19 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (19):
    • Cicero, Letters to his Friends, 8.11.2
    • Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 12.13.2
    • Plautus, Asinaria, 3.3
    • Plautus, Poenulus, 1.2
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 2.322
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 2.592
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 6.61
    • Caesar, Civil War, 3.112.3
    • Plautus, Asinaria, 3.2
    • Plautus, Epidicus, 1.1
    • Plautus, Mostellaria, 1.3
    • Plautus, Pseudolus, 5.1
    • Cicero, On Oratory, 1.56
    • Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, 4.1143
    • Lucan, Civil War, 4.20
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 10.103
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 30.40
    • Cicero, De Legibus, 1.23
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 11.18.7
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