praesto

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈprae̯s.toː/, [ˈpräe̯s̠t̪oː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpres.to/, [ˈprɛst̪o]

Related to praestolor (“to expect, wait for”). According to Pokorny, from the verb *praestōd-ārī, which is formed from the ablative singular *praistōd (“ready, available”). Steinbauer (1989: 255) supports this derivation. However, the idea of praesto coming from an ablative singular form is quite unique in Latin word formation.

Livingston (2004: 65-66) offers an alternative explanation, analyzing praestōlāre as a compound of the originally directive adverb praesto (“to the ready”) and -lare, potentially related to -ulare (“to wander”) as in ambulare.

In either case, the first element is the prefix prae- and the second from Proto-Italic *stōlo-, from Proto-Indo-European *stel- (“to place, put”), similar to locus.^[1]

praestō (not comparable)

1. at hand, ready, present, here

   Synonyms: parātus, prōmptus

2. serviceable, helpful
3. (with sum) to be at hand, attend, wait upon, serve, aid, be helpful

• praesto in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• praestō - The Latin Lexicon

From prae- +‎ stō.

praestō (present infinitive praestāre, perfect active praestitī or praestāvī, supine praestātum or praestitum); first conjugation

1. to be preferable, better, coupled with quam
   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico VII.1:

     In acie praestare interfici quam non veterem belli gloriam [...] recuperare

     It was better to be slain in battle, than not to recover the ancient glory in war

   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico VII.10:

     Praestare visum est tamen omnis difficultates perpeti, quam tanta contumelia accepta omnium suorum voluntates alienare

     However it seemed better to endure any hardship than to alienate the affections of all his allies, by submitting to such an insult

   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico VII.17:

     Praestare omnes perferre acerbitates, quam non civibus Romanis, qui Cenabi perfidia Gallorum interissent, parentarent

     It was better to sustain any hardship than to not avenge the Roman citizens who perished at Genabum by the perfidy of the Gauls

2. to be outstanding, be exceeding in something, to excel, stand out, be superior, to distinguish oneself, be excellent, distinguished, admirable

   Synonyms: praepolleō, exsuperō, superō

3. to provide, supply, offer, bestow
4. to exhibit, to show

   Synonyms: praebeō, ostendō, ostentō, expōnō, prōpōnō, prōdō, acclārō, indicō, prōferō, prōtrahō, fateor, profiteor, vulgō, coarguō, gerō

5. (reflexive) to prove (oneself), to show (oneself)
6. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin) to lend, loan

• Perfect forms like praestāvī are found post-Classically.

• praestātiō
• praestes
• matellam praestō alicui

• “praesto”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “praesto”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• praesto in Enrico Olivetti, editor (2003-2024), Dizionario Latino, Olivetti Media Communication
• praesto in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• praesto in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to show kindness to..: benevolentiam alicui praestare, in aliquem conferre
    
  • to keep faith with a person, keep one's word: fidem praestare alicui
    
  • to fulfil a promise: fidem (promissum) praestare
    
  • to be answerable for a person, a thing: praestare aliquem, aliquid, de aliqua re or Acc. c. Inf.
    
  • to do one's duty: officium suum facere, servare, colere, tueri, exsequi, praestare
    
• praesto in Ramminger, Johann (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[2], pre-publication website, 2005-2016