sŭper-sĕdĕo, sēdi, sessum, 2, v. n. and a., to sit upon or above.
I Lit. (very rare; not in Cic. or Caes.): eques Romanus elephanto supersedens, Suet. Ner. 11: tentorio (aquila), id. Aug. 96: corio (damnati), Amm. 23, 6, 82: utribus, id. 25, 8, 2.—With acc.: ansam (aspis), Ap. Met. 11, 11, 23. —
II Trop. *
A To preside over : vilicus litibus familiae supersedeat, i. e. decide them , Cato R. R. 5, 1.—
B To be above or superior to , to forbear , to refrain or desist from , to pass , omit (the predom. and class. signif.); constr. usu. with abl., less freq. with dat., acc., or inf.
α With abl.: ita censeo facias, ut supersedeas hoc labore itineris, Cic. Fam. 4, 2, 4: proelio, Caes. B. G. 2, 8: istis rebus, Plaut. Ep. 1, 1, 37: istis verbis, id. Poen. 1, 3, 5: nuptiis, Turp. ap. Non. 40, 8 (Com. Rel. v. 163 Rib.): commode principio, Auct. Her. 3, 9, 17 et saep.— Impers. pass. : posse complexione supersederi, Cic. Inv. 1, 40, 72: supersederi litibus et jurgiis, Liv. 38, 51, 8: divinis rebus, id. 6, 1, 12: tributo ac delectu supersessum est, id. 7, 27, 4: quod cum acciderit, omnino oratione supersedendum est, Cic. Inv. 1, 21, 30: supersedendum multitudine verborum, id. ib. 1, 20, 28: complexione, Auct. Her. 2, 19, 30.—
β With dat.: pugnae, Auct. B. Afr. 75, 2: maledicto, Ap. Mag. p. 285, 19.—
γ With acc.: operam, Gell. 2, 29, 13.— Pass. : haec causa non visa est supersedenda, Auct. Her. 2, 17, 26: istis omnibus supersessis, Ap. Flor. p. 359, 9.—
δ With inf.: de virtute eorum accusanda proloqui supersederunt, Sisenn. ap. Non. 40, 11: supersedissem loqui apud vos, Liv. 21, 40, 1: certare, id. 4, 7, 8; 34, 59, 2: quae in vulgus edita ejus verbis invertere supersedeo, Tac. A. 15, 63 fin. : scribere, Plin. Ep. 5, 7, 5: castigare territos, Curt. 5, 6, 14: spectare supersedit, Suet. Tit. 7: deflectere ad visendum Apin supersedit, id. Aug. 93: ut venire supersedeant, Val. Max. 2, 8, 6.