noun · neutersecond declension
praesidium
praesidium n (genitive praesidiī or praesidī)
№ 582 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- neuterdefence, protection, guardianship
- neuterhelp, aid, assistance
Amicitiam populi Romani sibi ornamento et praesidio, non detrimento esse oportere, atque se hac spe petisse.
That the friendship of the Roman people ought to prove to him an ornament and a safeguard, not a detriment; and that he sought it with that expectation.c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico 1.44 - neuterguard, garrison, convoy, escort
Eo opere perfecto praesidia disponit, castella communit, quo facilius, si se invito transire conentur, prohibere possit.
When that work was finished, he distributes garrisons, and closely fortifies redoubts, in order that he may the more easily intercept them, if they should attempt to cross over against his will.c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico 1.8
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
mīlitēs quī locum dēfendunt; locus tūtus.praesidium -ī n — in Mille Verba, Bellum et Arma
mīlitēs cūstōdēs locīpraesidium -ī (n) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 17
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | praesidium | praesidia |
| genitive | praesidiī praesidī | praesidiōrum |
| dative | praesidiō | praesidiīs |
| accusative | praesidium | praesidia |
| ablative | praesidiō | praesidiīs |
| vocative | praesidium | praesidia |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- praesidiis firmare urbem
- to garrison a town.
- novissimis praesidio esse
- to protect the troops in the rear.
- castra praesidiis firmare
- to strengthen the camp by outposts.
- praesidium collocare in urbe
- to garrison a town.
- praesidia, custodias disponere
- to station posts, pickets, at intervals.
- praesidio castris milites relinquere
- to leave troops to guard the camp.
praesĭdĭum, ii, n. praeses.
I. Lit., a presiding over; hence, defence, protection, help, aid, assistance; esp. of soldiers who are to serve as a guard, garrison, escort, or convoy:
proficisci praesidio suis, Nep. Ages. 3: praesidio esse alicui, id. ib. 7: Caes. B. G. 1, 44: hanc sibi rem praesidio sperant futuram, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 65, § 167: tectus praesidio firmo amicorum, id. Sull. 18, 51: absque me foret et meo praesidio, etc., Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 61: ut meae stultitiae in justitiā tuā sit aliquid praesidii, Ter. Heaut. 4, 1, 33: in tutelā ac praesidio bellicae virtutis, Cic. Mur. 10, 22: Veneris praesidio ferox, Hor. C. 1, 15, 13.—Esp. of soldiers acting as a guard, convoy, escort: legiones, quae praesidio impedimentis erant, Caes. B. G. 2, 19: regale, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 30.—II. Transf.
A. That which aids, defends, or protects, defence, assistance, protection:
ad hoc ipsum judicium cum praesidio venit, Cic. Rosc. Am. 5, 13: armatorum, id. Phil. 2, 44, 112; cf.: O et praesidium, protector, Hor. C. 1, 1, 2: quantum praesidium perdis, Verg. A. 11, 58.—2. In partic., in milit. lang., those who by their presence protect a place, a camp, or a supply of arms or provisions, a guard, garrison, convoy, escort, troops, soldiers, etc.:
praesidium est dictum, quia extra castra praesidebant loco aliquo, quo tutior regio esset, Varr. L. L. 5, § 90 Müll.: occupatoque oppido, ibi praesidium collocat, garrison, Caes. B. G. 1, 38: (turres) praesidiis firmare, with a garrison, with troops, Sall. J. 23, 1: quam (Italiam) praesidiis confirmaretis, Cic. Agr. 1, 5, 16: obsidere atque occupare, id. ib. 2, 28, 75: ex oppido educere, Caes. B. C. 1, 13: dimittere, Cic. Fam. 2, 17, 3: oppido imponere, Liv. 24, 7: praesidium dedit, ut eo tuto perveniret, an escort, Nep. Ep. 4, 5: praesidium ex arce expellere, a garrison, id. ib. 10, 3: praesidium ex regionibus depellere, id. Paus. 2, 1: praesidia interficere, troops, id. Milt. 4, 1: praesidia custodiasque disponere, posts, pickets, Caes. B. G. 7, 55: Italia tota armis praesidiisque tenetur, troops, Cic. Att. 9, 3, 1: praesidia deducere, Caes. B. G. 2, 33: galeatum ponit ubique Praesidium, Juv. 8, 239.—B. Any place occupied by troops, as a hill, a camp, etc.; a post, station, intrenchment, fortification, camp:
qui propter metum praesidium relinquit, leaves his post, Cic. Tusc. 3, 8, 17: praesidio decedere, Liv. 4, 29: procul in praesidio esse, Nep. Timol. 1, 4: praesidium occupare et munire, Caes. B. C. 3, 45: cohortes ex proximis praesidiis deductae, id. B. G. 7, 87: milites in praesidiis disponere, id. ib. 7, 34: in praesidiis esse, in the camp, with the army, Cic. Lig. 9, 28: in adversariorum praesidiis, id. Rosc. Am. 43, 126: posito castello super vestigia paterni praesidii, fort, Tac. A. 1, 56: obsidium coepit per praesidia, redoubts, id. ib. 4, 49.—Trop.: de praesidio et statione vitae decedere, Cic. Sen. 26, 73.—C. In gen., aid, help, assistance of any kind, Plaut. Pers. 1, 3, 45:
quod satis esset praesidii, dedit, every thing needful for his support and safety, Nep. Them. 8, 5: quaerere sibi praesidia periculis, et adjumenta honoribus, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 70: magnum sibi praesidium ad beatam vitam comparare, id. Tusc. 2, 1, 2: omnibus vel naturae, vel doctrinae praesidiis ad dicendum parati, id. de Or. 1, 9, 38: me biremis praesidio scaphae tutum aura feret, Hor. C. 3, 29, 62: ad praesidium aquae calidae decurritur, Col. 12, 50: praesidia afferre navem factura minorem, Juv. 12, 56.—Trop., defence, protection, help: fortissimum praesidium pudoris, Cic. Sull. 28, 77: insigne maestis praesidium reis, Hor. C. 2, 1, 13: si qua aliunde putas rerum exspectanda tuarum, Praesidia, Juv. 7, 23.—2. In partic., a remedy against diseases:
aurium morbis praesidium est, Plin. 22, 22, 44, § 90: contra serpentes praesidio esse, id. 28, 4, 7, § 35.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
praesidium ī, n
praeses, defence, protection, guardianship, help, aid, assistance : proficisci praesidio suis, N.: amicitiam populi R. sibi praesidio esse oportere, Cs.: tectus praesidio firmo amicorum: Ut meae stultitiae in iustitiā tuā sit aliquid praesidi, T.: Veneris praesidio ferox, H.— A guard, escort, convoy, garrison : ad iudicium cum praesidio venit: omnium bonorum praesidio ornatus: servorum praesidio uti: regale, H.: occupatoque oppido, ibi praesidium conlocat, garrison , Cs.: (turrīs) praesidiis firmare, with troops , S.: praesidium dedit, ut tuto perveniret, escort , N.: praesidium ex arce expellere, garrison , N.: praesidia interficere, troops , N.: praesidia custodiasque disponere, picket guards , Cs.: galeatum, Iu.: O et praesidium et dulce decus meum, H.: quantum Praesidium perdis, V.— An occupied place, post, station, intrenchment, fortification, camp : in praesidio conlocatus, on guard : qui propter metum praesidium relinquit, leaves his post : praesidio discedere, L.: procul in praesidio esse, N.: praesidium occupare et munire, Cs.: milites in praesidiis disponere, Cs.: in praesidiis esse, with the army.—Aid, help, assistance : quod satis esset praesidi dedit, what was needful for his support and safety , N.: quaerere sibi praesidia periculis: me biremis praesidio scaphae Tutum . . . Aura feret, H.: fortissimum pudoris: aliunde rerum exspectanda tuarum Praesidia, encouragement , Iu.
Origins
From praeses (“guardian, defender”) + -ium or praesideō (“to guard, defend”) + -ium.
Descendants
- Catalanpresidi
- Catalanpresídium
- Frenchprésidium
- Frenchpraesidium
- Frenchpræsidium
- Italianpresidio
- Portuguesepresídio
- Romanianprezidiu
- Spanishpresillo
- Spanishpresidio
In English words that came into English from praesidium
- presidiumpraesidium
- presidiopraesidium