Lewis & Short

prae-sĭdĕo, sēdi (praesīdi in best MSS., Tac. A. 1, 76), ēre, v. n. and a. [sedeo], to sit before or in front of.

  1. I. Lit. (mostly postclass. and rare): pro aede Capitolini Jovis praesidere, Suet. Aug. 26.
    1. B. Transf., in time, to sit beforehand: in cujus (Mutini) sinu nubentes praesident, ut, etc., Lact. 1, 20 fin.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To guard, watch, protect, defend.
          1. (α) With dat.: ego hic tibi praesidebo, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 47: ego hic restitrix praesidebo, id. Truc. 4, 2, 5; id. Rud. 4, 4, 7: urbi, Cic. Phil. 13, 9, 20; Liv. 22, 11, 9; cf. id. 10, 17; 23, 32 init.; 24, 40 init.; 36, 5, 5; 38, 51, 8: Gallia, quae semper praesidet atque praesedit huic imperio libertatique communi, Cic. Phil. 5, 13, 37: huic urbi, atque huic imperio, id. Sull. 31, 86.
          2. (β) With acc.: socios, Sall. H. 2, 28 Dietsch: agros suos, id. ib. 3, 66: proximum Galliae litus, Tac. A. 4, 5: civium manus litora oceani praesidebat, id. ib. 4, 72.
    2. B. To preside over, to have the care or management of, to superintend, direct, command (syn. praesum).
          1. (α) With dat.: ut idem ad portas urbanis praesideat rebus, Caes. B. C. 1, 85: Mars … praesidet armis, Ov. F. 3, 85: Actiacis ludis, Suet. Tib. 6: spectaculis, id. Claud. 7.
          2. (β) With acc.: P. Atellio, qui Pannoniam praesidebat, who commanded in Pannonia, Tac. A. 12, 29: exercitum, to command, id. ib. 3, 39.
          3. (γ) With in and abl.: Metellus in agro Piceno praesidebat, Sall. C. 57, 2.
          4. (δ) Absol.: (in senatu) princeps praesidebat, presided, Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 10.
            Hence, praesĭdens, entis, P. a.; as subst.: a president, director, ruler (post-Aug. for praeses): superbia praesidentium, governors, Tac. A. 3, 40: praesidentium apparitores, Cod. Th. 8, 7, 13.