prex, prĕcis (nom. and gen. sing. not in use; dat. and acc. sing. only ante-class.; most freq. in plur.), f. [precor], a prayer, request, entreaty (class.).
I In gen.: nunc te oro per precem, Plaut. Capt. 2, 1, 47: nihil est preci loci relictum, Ter. And. 601: prece te oro, Hor. S. 2, 6, 13: multā prece prosequi aliquem, id. C. 4, 5, 33: cum magnā prece ad aliquem scribere, Cic. Att. 11, 15, 2: prece et obsecratione humili ac supplici uti, id. Inv. 1, 16, 22: nec prece, nec pretio, nec gratiā, nec simultate a rectā viā deduci, Auct. Her. 3, 3, 4: omnibus precibus te oro et obtestor, ut, etc., Cic. Att. 9, 11, A, § 3: omnibus precibus petere, ut, etc., Caes. B. G. 5, 6; Liv. 28, 2: fatigare aliquem precibus, id. 1, 11: precibus flecti, Verg. A. 2, 689: moveri, Ov. H. 7, 3: vinci, id. M. 9, 401: adduci, Caes. B. G. 1, 16: ad miseras preces Decurrere, Hor. C. 3, 29, 59. —
II In partic.
A A prayer to a deity: in prece totus eram, Ov. F. 6, 251: eorum preces et vota exaudiens, Cic. Planc. 41, 97: vota et preces repudiare, id. Clu. 70, 201: tribuunt ei successus petitionum a potestatibus, et a diis etiam precum, Plin. 29, 4, 19, § 66.—
B A good wish , friendly greeting : tuis Kalendis damus alternas accipimusque preces, exchange good wishes , Ov. F. 1, 176.—
C A curse , imprecation : omnibus precibus detestatus Ambiorigem, Caes. B. G. 6, 30: misit Thyesteas preces, Hor. Epod. 5, 86: hostili caput prece detestari, Ov. M. 15, 505.—
D An intercession (poet.): jam prece Pollucis, jam Castoris imploratā, Cat. 68, 65.