I. Lit. (only poet. and very rare): lux, Lucr. 2, 1032: sol, id. 5, 120: iaspis, Juv. 5, 42.—

II. Transf., very beautiful (physically or morally), magnificent, honorable, splendid, noble, remarkable, distinguished, excellent, famous, celebrated (class.): vultus, Lucr. 4, 1033: urbs situ praeclaro ad aspectum, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 52, 117: aries praeclarior, Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22, 44: homo praeclarā virtute et formā, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 51: praeclaris operibus laetari, Cic. Fam. 1, 7, 7: praeclara indoles ad dicendum, id. de Or. 1, 29, 131: genus dicendi magnificum atque praeclarum, id. ib. 2, 21, 82: eximia et praeclara, id. Off. 1, 20, 67: praeclara et magnifica, id. Or. 4, 15: multi praeclari in philosophiā et nobiles, id. de Or. 1, 11, 46: gens bello praeclara, Verg. A. 8, 480; 12, 347: nec quicquam est praeclarius aut praestantius, Cic. Fam. 10, 5, 2: praeclarissimum facinus, Nep. Tim. 1, 5: praeclarum est popularem me esse in populi salute, Cic. ad Brut. 1, 3, 2 fin.: res, distinguished wealth, opulence, Hor. S. 2, 5, 46.— Of medicines that operate well, excellent, efficacious, etc.: rubrica in medicinā res praeclara habetur, Plin. 35, 6, 14, 33; 20, 7, 26, 61; 27, 4, 14, 31; cf. usus, id. 23, 3, 36, 73: utilitas, id. 22, 24, 51, 110.—Ironically: illa praeclara tua patientia famis, Cic. Cat. 1, 10, 26; cf.: praeclaram populo Romano refers gratiam, id. ib. 1, 11, 28.—In a bad sense, noted, notorious: sceleribus suis ferox atque praeclarus, Sall. J. 14, 21.—

(b). With gen.: T. Livius, eloquentiae ac fidei praeclarus in primis, Tac. A. 4, 34.—Hence, adv., in two forms, praeclare and praeclariter.

A. Form praeclārē.

1. Very clearly, very plainly: praeclare aliquid explicare, Cic. Ac. 1, 9, 33: praeclare intellego, id. Fam. 13, 7, 1: praeclare memini, id. ib. 4, 7, 2: invenire, Plin. Ep. 3, 13, 3: praeclare et apposite et facete scribere, Gell. 2, 23, 11.—

2. Excellently, admirably, very well: praeclare nobiscum actum iri, si, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 4, 9; cf.: omnino praeclare te habes, cum, etc., id. ib. 2, 2, 61, 149: simulacrum praeclare factum e marmore, id. ib. 2, 4, 44, 96: praeclare facitis, qui, etc., id. Phil. 3, 10, 25: praeclare dicere aliquid, id. Rosc. Am. 13, 37: gerere negotium, id. Rosc. Com. 10, 34: praeclarissime aliquid facere, id. Mil. 35, 96.—Of medicines that operate well, excellently, efficaciously, etc.: radix caeliacis praeclare facit, Plin. 22, 19, 22, 48; 26, 15, 90, 161; 29, 4, 25, 78; 32, 4, 14, 35.—As an expression of assent: pacem vult M. Lepidus: praeclare, si, etc., very good, very well, Cic. Phil. 13, 4, 8 sq.—

B. Form prae-clārĭter, excellently: rebus praeclariter gestis, Quadrig. ap. Non. 516, 12; Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 1010 P. (Enn. p. 180 Vahl.).