(prae-for) fātus, ārī, dep.,
to say beforehand, utter in advance, premise, preface: in parte operis mei licet mihi praefari, quod, etc., L.: quae de deorum naturā praefati sumus, etc.: arcana se et silenda adferre praefatus, Cu.: honorem, i. e. to begin by saying, ‘I speak with deference:’ Talia praefantes, foretelling, Ct.—To utter a preliminary prayer, address in prayer beforehand: maiores nostri omnibus rebus agendis Quod bonum, faustum, felix fortunatumque esset, praefabantur: carminibus, say in verse beforehand, L.—To invoke: divos, V.