verb transitive

prae-sĕco

2nd PP prae-sĕcāre · 3rd PP prae-secŭi · 4th PP prae-sectum · conj. 1st

to cut off before; in front; to cut off

to cut off before or in front, to cut off or out (not in Cic.).

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Lit.: pars cultello praesecatur, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 34: brassica ut praesica, quod ex ejus scapo minutatim praesecatur, id. L. L. 5, § 104 Müll.: partem, Ov. R. Am. 112: projecturas tignorum, Vitr. 4, 2: lineam, Plin. 32, 2, 5, § 13: praesecta vitis, id. 17, 15, 25, § 115: praesecata gula, App. M. 1, p. 108, 15.—

has not corrected by the pared nail; to perfect accuracy figuratively

Trop.: praesectum decies non castigavit ad unguem, has not corrected by the pared nail, i. e. to perfect accuracy, Hor. A. P. 294 Bentl. and Haupt (but the better reading is perfectum).

Perseus ID: n37932 Key: praeseco