prae-pōno, pŏsui, pŏsĭtum, 3 (old perf. praeposivi, Plaut. Rud. 4, 2, 11.—Sync. form praepostus, Lucr. 6, 999), v. a., to put or set before, to place first (syn.: praefero, praeficio).
I Lit.
A In gen.: versus, in primā fronte libelli, Ov. Tr. 1, 7, 33: praeponens ultima primis, Hor. S. 1, 4, 59; Cic. Att. 7, 3, 10: oportet, ut aedibus ac templis vestibula et aditus, sic causis principia proportione rerum praeponere, id. de Or. 2, 79, 320: de quā priusquam respondeo, pauca praeponam, I will first make a few observations , id. Fam. 11, 27, 1.—
B In partic., to place or set over as chief , commander , or superintendent , to place at the head of , intrust with the charge or command of; to appoint or depute as : unum illum ex omnibus delegistis, quem bello praedonum praeponeretis, to appoint commander in the war , Cic. Imp. Pomp. 22, 63: hibernis Labienum praeposuit, Caes. B. G. 1, 54: sinistro cornu Antonium praeposuerat, id. B. C. 3, 89: aliquem provinciae, to appoint as governor , Cic. Fam. 2, 15, 4: negotio, to charge with the management of an affair , id. ib. 15, 4, 10: navibus, to appoint admiral , id. Verr. 2, 5, 38, § 101: vectigalibus, to appoint minister of finance , Tac. A. 15, 18: Bibulus toti officio maritimo praepositus, superintendent of all maritime affairs , Caes. B. C. 3, 5: praepositus cubiculo, chamberlain , Suet. Dom. 16: sacerdos oraculo praeposita, that presides over , Cic. Div. 1, 34, 76: aliquem custodem alicui loco, to appoint keeper of a place , Ov. Tr. 3, 1, 67: illum exercitibus, Juv. 10, 92.—
C To place or set upon : fronti praeponere olivam, Hor. C. 1, 7, 7 (cf.: comis praetexere frondes, Sen. Med. 70).—
II Trop., to set before or above , to prefer : lucrum praeposivi sopori et quieti, Plaut. Rud. 4, 2, 11: se alteri, Ter. And. 65; id. Eun. 139: salutem rei publicae vitae suae, Cic. Phil. 9, 7, 15: amicitiam patriae, id. Rab. Perd. 8, 23: necessaria gloriosis, Vell. 2, 110, 3: multum mihi praestat, si me Mazaeo generum praeponit, Curt. 4, 11, 20: Prochytam Suburrae, Juv. 3, 5.
VI —Hence, praepŏsĭtus , a, um, P. a.—As subst.
A praepŏsĭtus , i, m., a prefect , president , head , chief , overseer , director , commander : legatorum tuorum, Cic. Pis. 36, 88; Tac. H. 1, 36: quod (milites) praepositos suos occiderant, Suet. Oth. 1: rerum curae Caesaris, director , S. C. ap. Plin. Ep. 8, 6, 13: aquarum, water-inspector , Front. Aquaed. 17; 100; 117: cubiculi, a chamberlain , Amm. 14, 10, 5.—Of the governor of a province; with dat.: Illyrico, Dalmatiae, etc., Vell. 2, 112, 2; 2, 116, 2; absol. , Suet. Galb. 12; 16; id. Oth. 1 al.; Vulg. Act. 7, 10.—
B praepŏsĭta , ae, f. (eccl. Lat.), a prioress or abbess , Aug. Civ. Dei, 21, 8; id. Ep. 211.—
C With the Stoics, praepŏsĭta , ōrum, n., for the Gr. προηγμένα, preferable or advantageous things , but which are not to be called absolutely good; such as wealth, beauty, etc. (class.): ista bona non dico, sed dicam Graece προηγμένα, Latine autem producta: sed praeposita, aut praecipua malo, Cic. Fin. 4, 26, 72 sq.: bonum negas esse divitias, praepositum esse dicis, id. ib. 4, 26, 73; cf. also, id. ib. 3, 16, 52; 54.