prae-grăvo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to press heavily upon, to oppress with weight, to encumber (perh. not before the Aug. period).
I Lit.: exonerare praegravante turbā regnum cupiens, Liv. 5, 34: praegravata telis scuta, burdened , heavy , id. 7, 23: caper praegravantibus auribus, drooping , Col. 7, 6.—
B Transf., to exceed in weight , preponderate : ne praegravet fructus parte aliquā, Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 184.—
II Trop., to weigh down , depress : qui praegravat artes, Infra se positas, qs. presses them down by his own superiority , Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 13.—
B To preponderate : cito apparebit, pars civitatis deterior quanto praegravet, Sen. Clem. 1, 24, 1; Suet. Caes. 76.