verb transitive

prae-occŭpo

2nd PP prae-occŭpāre · 3rd PP prae-occŭpāvi · 4th PP prae-occŭpātum · conj. 1st

(class., but not in Cic., since praecepit is the true read., Cic. Phil. 10, 1, 2).

To seize upon; to take possession of; occupy beforehand

To seize upon, to take possession of or occupy beforehand, to preoccupy.

••

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.—

To take; catch; detect •

To take, catch, detect, seize in an act: si praeoccupatus fuerit homo in delicto, Vulg. Gal. 6, 1.—

figuratively ••

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.—

To anticipate; prevent; obj.clause •

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.

Perseus ID: n37811 Key: praeoccupo