To take. Dicimus & Prendo per syncopam. Cic. Arentisque rose quantum manus vna prehendat. Ouid. And of dry roses an handfull. Prehendere tribus digitis. Plin. Prehendere dexteram. Cic To take one by the hand. Manu prehendere aliquem. Cic. Idem. Fugientia prendere poma. Ouid. Stirpes tellus amplexa prehendit. Cic. Prendo amicos, supplico, ambio domos. Pli. Iun. I assay and sollicite my friendes, and make intreatie, &c.

I. Lit.

A. In gen.: prehende auriculis, take by the ear-laps, a form of affectionate salutation, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 78: sine te exorem, sine te prendam auriculis, sine dem savium, id. Poen. 1, 2, 163; cf. Tib. 2, 5, 92: fauces alicui, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 62: quis me properantem prehendit pallio? catches me by the cloak, id. Ep. 1, 1, 1: dexteram, id. ib. 2, 3, 65.—Of an embrace' alter ubi alterum bilingui manufesto inter se praehendunt, Plaut. Ps. 5, 1, 15; cf.: aliquem manu, Cic. de Or. 1, 56, 240: perdix aucupem jam jam prehensurum effugiens, Plin. 10, 33, 51, 103; 30, 5, 12, 40: pisces, Vulg. Johan. 21, 10.—

B. In partic.

1. To seize, occupy suddenly, take violent possession of: Pharum, Caes. B. C. 3, 112, 3: quam prendimus arcem, occupy, take refuge in, Verg. A. 2, 322.—

2. To lay or catch hold of, to detain one in order to speak with him: tuos pater modo me prehendit: ait, etc., Ter. And. 2, 2, 16: prendo hominem solum: Cur non, inquam, id. Phorm. 4, 3, 15: Syrus est prehendendus, atque exhortandus mihi, id. Heaut. 3, 1, 89: dextrā prehensum Continuit, Verg. A. 2, 592; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 11, 2: prende C. Septimium, Cic. Att. 12, 13, 2.—

3. To seize, take by surprise, catch in the act; constr. with in and abl., the simple abl., or gen.: in furto ubi sis prehensus, Plaut. As. 3, 2, 17: in patenti Prensus Aegaeo, Hor. C. 2, 16, 1: prensus manifesto furto, Gell. 11, 18, 7: eā nocte speculatores prensi servi tres, Auct. B. Hisp. 20, 5: quem mendaci praendit manufestum modo, caught in a lie, Plaut Bacch. 4, 4, 45.—

4. Of trees, to take root: quarum stirpes tellus amplexa prehendit, Cic. Arat. 116: ut cum (pirorum plantae) prehenderint, inserantur, Pall. 3, 25: vites transferre, sine ambiguitate prehendendi, id. 3, 10.—

5. To reach, attain, arrive at (poet.): tandem Italiae fugientes prendimus oras, Verg. A. 6, 61.—

6. Poet., to take in with the eye, to reach with the eye: prendere aliquid oculorum lumine, Lucr. 4, 1143: vix oculo prendente modum, taking in, embracing, Luc. 4, 20.—

II. Trop., of the mind, to seize, apprehend, comprehend (very rare): cum animus ipsum (res omnes) moderantem atque regentem paene praehenderit, Cic. Leg. 1, 23, 61.