antĕ-cēdo, cessi, cessum, 3, v. n., to go before, precede (in space), to take the lead, get the start; with dat., acc., or absol.
I Lit.
a With dat.: ubi ambitionem virtuti videas antecedere, Titin. ap. Non. 499, 8: si huic rei illa antecedit, huic non antecedit, Cic. Top. 23.—
b With acc.: Pompeius expeditus antecesserat legiones, Cic. Att. 8, 9: biduo me Antonius antecessit, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 13; Curt. 4, 7, 15: antecedite me, Vulg. Gen. 32, 16; ib. 1 Reg. 9, 27; ib. Matt. 2, 9, and so Vulg. always.—
c Absol. : magnis itineribus antecessit, Caes. B. G. 7, 35; Liv. 2, 6; Vell. 1, 4, 1: antecedente famā, Liv. 5, 37, 6: antecedens scelestus, * Hor. C. 3, 2, 31.—
II Fig.
A To precede , in time: haec (dies) ei antecessit, * Ter. Phorm. 524: exercitatio semper antecedere cibum debet, Cels. 1, 2.—
B To have the precedence of any one, to excel , surpass; with dat. and acc. (cf. Rudd. II. p. 136).
a With dat.: virtute regi antecesseris, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 118: quantum natura hominis pecudibus antecedit, Cic. Off. 1, 30, 105; so id. Brut. 21, 82.—
b With acc. of person or thing and abl. or abl. with in : scientiā atque usu nauticarum rerum ceteros antecedunt, Caes. B. G. 3, 8: nemo eum in amicitiā antecessit, Nep. Alcib. 9, 3: maltha duritiam lapidis antecedens, Plin. 36, 24, 58, § 18.—
c Absol. , to distinguish one's self , to become eminent : ut quisque honore et aetate antecedebat, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 64; so id. Inv. 2, 22.—Hence,
1 antĕcēdens , entis, P. a.
a In gen.: hora, Cic. ad Octav. 3: annus, Plin. 13, 8, 16, § 59; so Suet. Tib. 5.—
b T. t. of philosophy, the antecedent (opp. consequens): causa, Cic. Fat. 11, 33; 15, 34.—In plur. as subst.: an-tĕcēdentĭa , ōrum, n.: locus ex antecedentibus, Cic. Top. 12; so id. Part. Or. 2; Quint. 5, 10, 45; 6, 3, 66.—
2 antĕces-sus , a, um, P. a., that goes before; only in the connection, in antecessum dare, solvere, accipere, etc.; t. t., to give , pay , receive , etc., beforehand , in advance (postAug.): in antecessum dabo, Sen. Ep. 118: accipere, id. ib. 7: reponere, id. Ben. 4, 32: praedam dividere, Flor. 4, 12, 24 al.