Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

prĕhenso, and more freq. prenso, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [prehendo], to grasp, seize, catch, lay hold of (not freq. till after the Aug. period).

  1. I. In gen.: prensare manu bracchia, Hor. S. 1, 9, 64: fastigia dextris, Verg. A. 2, 444: tenaci forcipe ferrum, id. ib. 12, 404: lubrica prensantes effugit umbra manus, Ov. F. 5, 476: prehensare hostium tela, Tac. H. 3, 28.
  2. II. In partic., to take hold of, detain a person, in order to talk with him, thank him, entreat him, etc.: arma, genua, vestigia prensando, flexere militum animos, Tac. H. 1, 66: commanipularium pectora, id. ib. 4, 46: itaque prenso amicos, supplico, ambio domos, Plin. Ep. 2, 9: prensatas exeuntium manus, Liv. 4, 60.
    1. B. Transf., to sue or solicit for an office: circumire et prensare patres, Liv. 1, 47, 7.
      So absol.: prensat unus P. Galba, solicits for the consulship, Cic. Att. 1, 1, 1: nos initium prensandi facere cogitaramus, id. ib.