Lewis & Short

prae-occŭpo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. (class., but not in Cic., since praecepit is the true read., Cic. Phil. 10, 1, 2).

  1. I. To seize upon, to take possession of or occupy beforehand, to preoccupy.
    1. A. Lit.: hic ne intrare posset saltum, Datames praeoccupare studuit, Nep. Dat. 7, 2: Macedoniam, id. Eum. 2, 4: loca opportuna, Liv. 44, 3; 35, 28; 42, 47: iter, Caes. B. C. 3, 13: Asiam, Vell. 2, 69, 2; cf.: praeoccupatum sese legatione ab Cn. Pompeio, Caes. B. C. 2, 17.
    2. B. To take, catch, detect, seize in an act: si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in delicto, Vulg. Gal. 6, 1.
    3. C. Trop.: animos timor praeoccupaverat, Caes. B. G. 6, 41, 3: hilaritas praeoccupaverat mentes, Petr. 113: praeoccupati beneficio animi, i. e. won over beforehand, Liv. 6, 20, 10: aures, id. 38, 10.
  2. II. To anticipate, prevent: ne alter alterum praeoccuparet, Nep. Dion, 4, 1.
    With obj.clause (like the simpler occupare): legem de multarum aestimatione ipsi praeoccupaverunt ferre, hastened to bring the bill sooner before the people, Liv. 4, 30, 3.