Lewis & Short

prae-stringo, inxi, ictum, 3, v. a., to bind fast or hard, to bind or tie up; to squeeze tight, compress, etc.

  1. I. Lit. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): praestrictā fauce, Ov. Ib. 551: praestricta manus, Sen. Troad. 560: pollices vincire, nodoque praestringere, Tac. A. 12, 47: dracones circumplexu facili (elephantos) ambiunt, nexuque nodi praestringunt, Plin. 8, 11, 11, § 32: praestringere et strangulare, id. 17, 24, 37, § 234: vehementer praestringere aliquid, id. 10, 72, 92, § 192: umor praestrictus gelu, id. 17, 24, 37, § 217: ventus praestringit atque percellit radices arborum, i. e. comprimit, id. 18, 34, 77, § 334: panis datur ex vino ad discutienda, quae praestringi opus est, i. e. coërceri, sisti, id. 22, 25, 68, § 138.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. To bind or wind about (poet.): alicujus tempora sertis, Stat. S. 5, 1, 112.
    2. B. To graze, touch: portam vomere, Cic. Phil. 2, 40, 102 (al. perstringere): Taifalorum terras praestringens, Amm. 31, 3, 7: praestrictis palatii januis, i. e. passed without entering, id. 14, 7, 10.
      1. 2. Trop. (post-class.): rerum novarum lugubri visu praestrictus, touched, struck, Amm. 29, 6, 9; cf. id. 16, 10, 13.
        Hence, esp., to touch in speaking, to mention: nomen, Amm. 26, 1, 4; cf. id. 22, 15, 3.
        With acc. and inf., Amm. 21, 7, 2.
    3. C. To weaken, blunt, make dull.
      1. 1. In gen.: illi quorum lingua gladiorum aciem praestringit domi, i. e. by boasting, Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 11: acies ferri praestringitur, Plin. 7, 15, 13, § 64: nitorem eboris, to dim, id. ib.: vites, to deprive them of their eyes or buds, id. 17, 24, 37, § 227.
      2. 2. Esp.: praestringere aciem oculorum or oculos, to blind (class.): aciem oculorum, Plaut. Mil. 1, 1, 4; Lucil. ap. Non. 34, 32; Liv. 40, 58, 4; cf. oculos, Varr. ap. Non. 35, 5; Cic. Vatin. 10, 24; Sen. Ep. 110, 17: obtutum oculorum, Amm. 17, 7, 2.
        Trop.: vos aciem animorum nostrorum virtutis splendore praestringitis, Cic. Fin. 4, 14, 37; so, aciem animi, id. Phil. 12, 2, 3; Vell. 2, 118, 4: aciem mentis, Cic. Div. 1, 29, 61; cf.: oculos mentis, id. Sen. 12, 42: aciem ingenii, id. Div. in Caecil. 14, 46: mentes, Amm. 30, 1, 15: praestigias, Caecil. ap. Cic. N. D. 3, 29, 73 (Com. Rel. p. 59 Rib.).