prae-fīgo, xi, xum, 3, v. a., to fix or fasten before, to set up in front, to fix on the end or extremity of.
I Lit. (class., but not in Cic.): ripa erat acutis sudibus praefixis munita, Caes. B. G. 5, 18; so, praefigere aëneos cancellos foraminibus, Col. 8, 17, 6: arma puppibus, Verg. A. 10, 80: in hastis Praefigunt capita, id. ib. 9, 466; cf.: vexillum in biremis puppe, Suet. Calig. 15: rostrum lupi villarum portis, Plin. 28, 10, 44, § 157: caput hastae, Suet. Caes. 85.— Poet.: nigrum theta (i. e. Θ, as a sign of death on Roman inscriptions) vitio, to mark crime with the black theta , i. e. to condemn it , Pers. 4, 13.—
II Transf., aliquid aliquā re.
A To tip , head , point , etc.: asseres cuspidibus praefixi, Caes. B. C. 2, 2: jacula praefixa ferro, Liv. 26, 4, 4: aere aut ferro praefixae hastae, Curt. 3, 2, 7: ferro praefixum robur acuto, Verg. A. 10, 479: ora capistris, to muzzle , id. G. 3, 399.—
B To close , block up (post-Aug.): prospectus om nes, to wall up , build up , Plin. 19, 4, 19, § 59: fenestrae praefixae, Dig. 8, 2, 5.—*
C To pierce , transfix with something: latus praefixa veru, Tib. 1, 7, 55 (6, 49).—*
D To enchant , bewitch , Quint. Decl. 10, 8.