prae-for, fātus, 1 (old imper. praefato, Cato R. R. 134, 1: praefamino, id. ib. 141, 2; cf. Müll. ad Fest. p. 87, 10), v. dep. n. and a.
I In gen., to say or utter beforehand , to premise , preface : in parte operis mei licet mihi praefari, quod, etc., Liv. 21, 1, 1; Col. 10, praef. 5; 12, 50, 7; Cels. 3, 1: praefatus, de summā se republicā acturum, having first announced by edict that , etc., Suet. Caes. 28: quae de deorum naturā praefati sumus, etc., Cic. Univ. 10 fin. : cum praefatus fuero, quae, etc., Col. 1 prooem. 33 fin. ; Gell. 9, 15, 4: sibi Asiam sufficere praefatus, Just. 11, 5, 5: arcana se et silenda afferre praefatus, Curt. 6, 7, 3: is cum praefatus esset, scire, etc., id. 7, 4, 9; Liv. 43, 7, 7.—
II Esp.
A In a relig. sense, to utter a preliminary prayer , to address in prayer beforehand : majores nostri omnibus rebus agendis Quod bonum, faustum, felix fortunatumque esset, praefabantur, Cic. Div. 1, 45, 102: pontifice maximo praefante carmen, Liv. 5, 41, 3: decemviri carminibus (abl.) praefarentur, should say beforehand ( = praeirent), id. 22, 1, 16 (v. Weissenb. ad h. l.): priusquam hasce fruges condantur ... ture, vino Jano, Jovi, Junoni praefato, offering wine and incense , say a prayer to Janus , etc., Cato R. R. 134, 1.—With the obj.-acc. of the deity: Janum Jovemque vino praefamino, id. ib. 141, 2: divos, Verg. A. 11, 301.—
B Si dicimus, Ille patrem strangulavit, honorem non praefamur: sin de Aureliā aliquid aut Lolliā, honos praefandus est, we do not preface it by saying , with permission , with respect be it spoken , Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 4: veniam, to ask leave before speaking , Ap. Met. 1, 1, 14; id. Flor. init. —
C To name or cite beforehand : Aristoteles, quem in iis magnā secuturus ex parte praefandum reor, to mention or name as an authority in advance , Plin. 8, 16, 17, § 43.—
III To foretell , predict , prophesy (very rare), Cat. 64, 383.—Hence,
A praefātus , a, um, in pass. signif., mentioned or stated before (post-class.): condemnatus ex praefatis causis, Dig. 20, 4, 12: jura, ib. 10, 3, 19: sic etiam nostro praefatus habebere libro, named at the beginning , Aus. praef. 2 fin. : sine honoribus praefatis appellare aliquid, without saying , By your leave , Arn. 5, 176: vir praefatā reverentiā nominandus, Vop. Aur. 1.—Hence, subst.: praefātum , i, n., for praefatio, a preface : praefato opus est, Symm. Ep. 6, 3.—
B praefandus , a, um, P. a., for which must be asked permission or indulgence; that requires apology : praefandi umoris e corpore effluvium, Plin. 7, 51, 52, § 171.—Hence, subst.: praefanda , ōrum, n., foul expressions : in praefanda videmur incidere, Quint. 8, 3, 45.