prae-lābor, lapsus, 3, v. dep. n. and a., to glide onwards, to flow, swim, etc., before or along; to move, glide, etc., quickly by or past (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I Lit.: insula, in quam Germani nando praelabebantur, Tac. H. 2, 35: piscis praelabitur ante, Cic. poët. N. D. 2, 43, 111: amnis, Luc. 9, 355.—With acc.: rotis flumina, to glide by the streams on wheels , Verg. G. 3, 180; cf.: ales bestiam praevenit et secundo flatu praelabitur et anticipat, Ap. Deo Socr. prol. p. 365, 28.—
II Trop., to glide past , to hasten by a thing; with acc.: ira eruditas mentes praelabitur, Petr. 99: praelabens tempus, Col. 11, 1.