praesum

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

From prae- +‎ sum.

Pronunciation

Verb

praesum (present infinitive praeesse, perfect active praefuī, future active participle praefutūrus); irregular conjugation, suppletive, no passive, no supine stem except in the future active participle, no gerund

  1. to be before something
  2. to preside or rule over
    Synonyms: prīncipor, praecūrō
  3. to lead, take the lead
    Synonym: praedūcō
  4. to command, have command, be in command of, have charge of, be in charge of (with dative of the thing or person being commanded)
    Synonyms: praecipiō, praesideō
    classi/exercitui praeesse ― to command a navy/army
    • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 26.1:
      Si supplemento opus esset, suppleret de legionibus quibus P. Cornelius pro praetore in Sicilia praeesset, […]
      If reinforcements were needed, he should supply them with the legions which Publius Cornelius, propraetor, was in charge of in Sicily, […]

Conjugation

Note: This verb takes a dative object.

   Conjugation of praesum (irregular conjugation, suppletive, no passive, no supine stem except in the future active participle, no gerund)
indicative singular plural
first second third first second third
active present praesum praees praeest praesumus praeestis praesunt
imperfect praeeram praeerās praeerat praeerāmus praeerātis praeerant
future praeerō praeeris,
praeere 		praeerit praeerimus praeeritis praeerunt
perfect praefuī praefuistī praefuit praefuimus praefuistis praefuērunt,
praefuēre
pluperfect praefueram praefuerās praefuerat praefuerāmus praefuerātis praefuerant
future perfect praefuerō praefueris praefuerit praefuerimus praefueritis praefuerint
subjunctive singular plural
first second third first second third
active present praesim,
praesiem,
praefuam1 		praesīs,
praesiēs,
praefuās1 		praesit,
praesiet,
praefuat1 		praesīmus,
praesiēmus,
praefuāmus1 		praesītis,
praesiētis,
praefuātis1 		praesint,
praesient,
praefuant1
imperfect praeessem,
praeforem 		praeessēs,
praeforēs 		praeesset,
praeforet 		praeessēmus,
praeforēmus 		praeessētis,
praeforētis 		praeessent,
praeforent
perfect praefuerim praefuerīs praefuerit praefuerīmus praefuerītis praefuerint
pluperfect praefuissem praefuissēs praefuisset praefuissēmus praefuissētis praefuissent
imperative singular plural
first second third first second third
active present — praees — — praeeste —
future — praeestō praeestō — praeestōte praesuntō
non-finite forms infinitive participle
active passive active passive
present praeesse — praesēns —
future praefutūrum esse,
praefore 		— praefutūrus —
perfect praefuisse — — —
perfect potential praefutūrum fuisse — — —

1Old Latin or in poetry.

Derived terms

References

  • “praesum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “praesum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • praesum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
    • to have the management of the state: rei publicae praeesse
    • to perform official duties: munere fungi, muneri praeesse
    • to be president of a court: iudicio praeesse
    • to preside over an inquiry: quaestioni praeesse
    • to be at the head of an army: praeesse exercitui
    • to be commander-in-chief: imperii summae praeesse
  • praesum in Enrico Olivetti, editor (2003-2025), Dizionario Latino, Olivetti Media Communication
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