prae-sĭdĕo, sēdi (praesīdi in best MSS., Tac. A. 1, 76), ēre, v. n. and a. [sedeo], to sit before or in front of.I.Lit. (mostly postclass. and rare): pro aede Capitolini Jovis praesidere, Suet. Aug. 26.—B.Transf., in time, to sit beforehand: in cujus (Mutini) sinu nubentes praesident, ut, etc., Lact. 1, 20 fin.—II.Trop.A.To guard, watch, protect, defend.(a). 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, 32init.; 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.—(b). 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.—B.To preside over, to have the care or management of, to superintend, direct, command (syn. praesum). (a). 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.—(b). With acc.: P. Atellio, qui Pannoniam praesidebat,
who commanded in Pannonia
, Tac. A. 12, 29: exercitum,
to command
, id. ib. 3, 39.—(g). With in and abl.: Metellus in agro Piceno praesidebat, Sall. C. 57, 2.— (d).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,
praesīdĕro, āre, v. n. [prae-sidus], to be in advance of the constellations: praesiderare dicitur, cum maturius hiberna tempestas movetur, quasi ante sideris tempus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 223 Müll.; cf. Plin. 18, 25, 57, 207.