Lewis & Short

prae-cīdo (old form praecaedit, Quadrig. ap. Gell. 9, 13, 18), cīdi, cīsum, 3, v. a. [caedo], to cut off in front; hence, in gen., to cut off.

  1. I. Lit. (class.); constr. with acc. alone, or with acc. and dat. or gen. of person.
          1. (α) With acc. and dat.: linguam alicui, Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 12: manum alicui gladio, Cic. Inv. 2, 20, 59: aures, nasum et labia alicui, Just. 1, 10, 5.
          2. (β) With acc. and gen.: collegae sui praecidi caput jussit, Cic. Tusc. 5, 19, 55: quae patrem occiderit, manus ejus praecidantur, Sen. Contr. 9, 27, 8.
          3. (γ) With acc.: manus, Hirt. B. G. 8, 44: caput, Quadrig. ap. Gell. l. l.: capita, Petr. 1: medici membra praecidunt, Quint. 8, 3, 75: capillos, id. ib. 8, 3, 105: ancoras, to cut the cables, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 34, § 88: fistulas, quibus aqua suppeditatur, id. Rab. Perd. 11, 31: traducem, Plin. 17, 23, 35, § 211.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. To cut through, cut up (class.): cotem novaculā, Cic. Div. 1, 17, 32: linguam Nicanoris praecisam jussit particulatim avibus dari, Vulg. 2 Macc. 15, 33: naves, to cripple, make unfit for service, Cic. Att. 9, 6, 3.
      2. 2. To beat to pieces, to batter, smash (ante-class.): praecide os tu illi, Plaut. Cas. 2, 6, 52 (dub.; cf. id. Pers. 2, 4, 12 Ritschl).
      3. 3. Praecidere sinum maris, to cut off, avoid, i. e. to sail straight (postAug.), Sen. Ep. 53, 1: medium mare, Auct. Quint. Decl. 12, 22; cf. iter, Plin. 8, 22, 34, § 83.
  2. II. Trop., to cut off, to take away.
    1. A. Of speech, to cut short, abridge; to cut short one’s words, to be brief, break off or finish abruptly: dum te obtuetur, interim linguam oculi praeciderunt, Plaut. Mil. 4, 6, 56: maximam partem defensionis, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 62, § 151: sibi licentiam libertatemque vivendi, id. ib. 2, 3, 1, § 3: sibi reditum, id. Pis. 22, 51: per abscissionem significatio fit, si, cum incipimus aliquid dicere, praecidimus, Auct. Her. 4, 54, 67: brevi praecidam, in a word, in short, briefly, Cic. Sen. 16, 57: praecide, inquit, cut it short, be brief, id. Ac. 2, 43, 133.
    2. B. To break off, cut off, end, destroy; esp. with spem: si non praeciditur spes plebeio quoque, apiscendi summi honoris, Liv. 4, 3, 7: praecisa consulatūs spes erit, id. 4, 3, 15; 24, 31, 12; 42, 50, 1: id sum assecutus, ut una hora perdito spem judicii corrumpendi praeciderem, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 7, § 20: utrum spem nostram praecidat an differat, Sen. Ira, 3, 28, 4; id. Ben. 2, 5, 1.
      Also of friendship, etc.: amicitias repente praecidere, to break off suddenly (opp. sensim dissuere), Cic. Off. 1, 33, 120.
    3. C. To deny flatly, refuse, decline, etc.: plane sine ullā exceptione praecidit, flatly refused, Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: cupiebam eum esse nobiscum: quod quia praeciderat, id. ib. 10, 16, 1.
      Hence, praecīsus, a, um, P. a.
    1. A. Lit., cut or torn off, separated (poet.): Trinacria Italiā praecisa, Manil. 4, 630.
      Subst.: praecī-sum, i, n., a piece of meat cut off, a cutlet, steak (ante-class.), Naev. ap. Non. 151, 2: praeciso capi, Lucil. ib.
      1. 2. Transf.
        1. a. Castrated (post-class.): fanatici, Lampr. Elag. 7: praecisi ac professi impudientiam, Sen. Prov. 5, 3.
        2. b. Broken off, steep, abrupt, precipitous (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): acuta silex praecisis undique saxis, Verg. A. 8, 233: iter, Sall. J. 92, 7: rupes, Quint. 12, 9, 2.
    2. B. Trop.
      1. 1. Shortened, short, brief (post-Aug.): praecisis conclusionibus obscuri, Quint. 10, 2, 17: comprehensio, id. 7, 3, 15.
      2. 2. Troublesome (postclass.): ut sub obtentu militiae praecisiorem se adversario faceret (al. pretiosiorem), Dig. 49, 16, 4.
        Hence, adv.: prae-cīsē.
      1. 1. In short, in few words, briefly, concisely (class.): praecise dicere (opp. plene et perfecte dicere), Cic. N. D. 2, 29, 73.
      2. 2. Positively, absolutely (class.): praecise negare alicui, Cic. Att. 8, 4, 2: non praecise, sed sub condicione, Dig. 36, 3, 1.