praeiudicium

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

prae-jūdĭcĭum: ii, n.
I Lit., a preceding judgment, sentence, or decision, a precedent (class.): praejudiciorum vis omnis tribus in generibus versatur: rebus, quae aliquando ex paribus causis sunt judicatae, quae exempla rectius dicuntur: judiciis ad ipsam causam pertinentibus: unde etiam nomen ductum est: aut cum de eādem causā pronuntiatum est, etc., Quint. 5, 2, 1: de quo non praejudicium, sed plane judicium jam factum putatur, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 4, 12 (praejudicium dicitur res, quae cum statuta fuerit, affert judicaturis exemplum, quod sequantur: judicium autem res, quae causam litemque determinat, Ascon.): apud eosdem judices reus est factus, cum is duobus praejudiciis jam damnatus esset, Cic. Clu. 22, 59: praejudicium a se de capite C. Verris per hoc judicium nolle fieri, id. Verr. 2, 3, 65, § 152; cf. id. Mur. 28, 60; id. Inv. 2, 20, 59 sq.: Cicero pro Milone non ante narravit, quam praejudiciis omnibus reum liberavit, from all preceding judgments, Quint. 6, 5, 10: postulavit, ne cognitioni Caesaris praejudicium fieret, preceding judgment, precedent, Plin. Ep. 7, 6, 6.—
II Transf.
   A Any thing that precedes another thing in such manner that we can judge or conclude from it what is further to happen, a precedent, example: Pompeius nullo proelio pulsus, vestri facti praejudicio demotus Italiā excessit, by the example of your conduct (which he feared would be imitated), Caes. B. C. 2, 32: an Africi belli praejudicia sequimini? id. ib. fin.: orabat ut se praejudicio juvarem, Plin. Ep. 5, 1, 2: statim quaestor ejus in praejudicium aliquot criminibus arreptus est, as an example of what was to happen to himself, Suet. Caes. 23.—
   B A damage, disadvantage, prejudice (post-class.): praejudicium in patrem quaeri, Sen. Ben. 4, 35, 2: absque praejudicio, Gell. 2, 2, 7: neque enim alimentorum causa veritati facit praejudicium, does no harm, Dig. 1, 6, 10: sine ullo litis praejudicio, ib. 26, 2, 27; Vulg. 1 Tim. 5, 21.—
   C A judicial examination previous to a trial: quoties de hoc contenditur, an quis libertus sit, etc., ... redditur praejudicium, Dig. 40, 14, 6: patronus in praejudicio possessor esse videtur, ib. 22, 3, 18.—
   D A decision made beforehand or before the proper time: neminem praejudicium rei tantae afferre, Liv. 3, 40.