praesum

Latin

Alternative forms

• presum (Medieval Latin)

Etymology

From prae- +‎ sum.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈprae̯.sum/, [ˈpräe̯s̠ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpre.sum/, [ˈprɛːs̬um]

Verb

praesum (present infinitive praeesse, perfect active praefuī, future participle praefutūrus); irregular conjugation, irregular, no passive, no supine stem except in the future active participle

1. to be before something
2. to preside or rule over

   Synonyms: prīncipor, cūrō

3. to lead, take the lead

   Synonym: praedūcō

4. to command, have command, be in command of, have charge of, be in charge of (with dative of the thing or person being commanded)

   Synonym: praecipiō

   classi/exercitui praeesse ― to command a navy/army

   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 26.1:

     Si supplemento opus esset, suppleret de legionibus quibus P. Cornelius pro praetore in Sicilia praeesset, […]

     If reinforcements were needed, he should supply them with the legions which Publius Cornelius, propraetor, was in charge of in Sicily, […]

Conjugation

Note: This verb takes a dative object.

Conjugation of praesum (highly irregular, suppletive, no supine stem except in the future active participle, active only)
indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	praesum	praees	praeest	praesumus	praeestis	praesunt
	imperfect	praeeram	praeerās	praeerat	praeerāmus	praeerātis	praeerant
	future	praeerō	praeeris, praeere	praeerit	praeerimus	praeeritis	praeerunt
	perfect	praefuī	praefuistī	praefuit	praefuimus	praefuistis	praefuērunt, praefuēre
	pluperfect	praefueram	praefuerās	praefuerat	praefuerāmus	praefuerātis	praefuerant
	future perfect	praefuerō	praefueris	praefuerit	praefuerimus	praefueritis	praefuerint
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	praesim	praesīs	praesit	praesīmus	praesītis	praesint
	imperfect	praeessem, praeforem	praeessēs, praeforēs	praeesset, praeforet	praeessēmus, praeforēmus	praeessētis, praeforētis	praeessent, praeforent
	perfect	praefuerim	praefuerīs	praefuerit	praefuerīmus	praefuerītis	praefuerint
	pluperfect	praefuissem	praefuissēs	praefuisset	praefuissēmus	praefuissētis	praefuissent
imperative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	praees	—	—	praeeste	—
	future	—	praeestō	praeestō	—	praeestōte	praesuntō
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		praeesse	praefuisse	praefutūrum esse, praefore	—	—	—
participles		praesēns	—	praefutūrus	—	—	—

Derived terms

• praesēns

References

• “praesum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “praesum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• praesum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to have the management of the state: rei publicae praeesse
    
  • to perform official duties: munere fungi, muneri praeesse
    
  • to be president of a court: iudicio praeesse
    
  • to preside over an inquiry: quaestioni praeesse
    
  • to be at the head of an army: praeesse exercitui
    
  • to be commander-in-chief: imperii summae praeesse
    
• praesum in Enrico Olivetti, editor (2003-2024), Dizionario Latino, Olivetti Media Communication