Lewis & Short

prae-jūdĭcĭum, ii, n.

  1. I. Lit., a preceding judgment, sentence, or decision, a precedent (class.): praejudiciorum vis omnis tribus in generibus versatur: rebus, quae aliquando ex paribus causis sunt judicatae, quae exempla rectius dicuntur: judiciis ad ipsam causam pertinentibus: unde etiam nomen ductum est: aut cum de eādem causā pronuntiatum est, etc., Quint. 5, 2, 1: de quo non praejudicium, sed plane judicium jam factum putatur, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 4, 12 (praejudicium dicitur res, quae cum statuta fuerit, affert judicaturis exemplum, quod sequantur: judicium autem res, quae causam litemque determinat, Ascon.): apud eosdem judices reus est factus, cum is duobus praejudiciis jam damnatus esset, Cic. Clu. 22, 59: praejudicium a se de capite C. Verris per hoc judicium nolle fieri, id. Verr. 2, 3, 65, § 152; cf. id. Mur. 28, 60; id. Inv. 2, 20, 59 sq.: Cicero pro Milone non ante narravit, quam praejudiciis omnibus reum liberavit, from all preceding judgments, Quint. 6, 5, 10: postulavit, ne cognitioni Caesaris praejudicium fieret, preceding judgment, precedent, Plin. Ep. 7, 6, 6.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Any thing that precedes another thing in such manner that we can judge or conclude from it what is further to happen, a precedent, example: Pompeius nullo proelio pulsus, vestri facti praejudicio demotus Italiā excessit, by the example of your conduct (which he feared would be imitated), Caes. B. C. 2, 32: an Africi belli praejudicia sequimini? id. ib. fin.: orabat ut se praejudicio juvarem, Plin. Ep. 5, 1, 2: statim quaestor ejus in praejudicium aliquot criminibus arreptus est, as an example of what was to happen to himself, Suet. Caes. 23.
    2. B. A damage, disadvantage, prejudice (post-class.): praejudicium in patrem quaeri, Sen. Ben. 4, 35, 2: absque praejudicio, Gell. 2, 2, 7: neque enim alimentorum causa veritati facit praejudicium, does no harm, Dig. 1, 6, 10: sine ullo litis praejudicio, ib. 26, 2, 27; Vulg. 1 Tim. 5, 21.
    3. C. A judicial examination previous to a trial: quoties de hoc contenditur, an quis libertus sit, etc., … redditur praejudicium, Dig. 40, 14, 6: patronus in praejudicio possessor esse videtur, ib. 22, 3, 18.
    4. D. A decision made beforehand or before the proper time: neminem praejudicium rei tantae afferre, Liv. 3, 40.