prehendere

prehendere, prendere [CL] 1 to hold (in the hand), grip, grasp. b to take up (arms). cernere me nulli possunt nec prendere palmis Aldh. Aen. 2 (Ventus) 1.  b s1188 comes Pictavensis ‥ arma prendidit et milites congregavit Gerv. Cant. Chr. 432. 2 to catch hold of, seize, capture; b (absol.); c (w. ref. to hunting or fishing) to catch, take, capture. d (w. ref. to piece in chess) to take, capture. rex indigne ferens compedibus irretivit, prefatus non se Baiocarum episcopum sed comitem Cantie prendere W. Malm. GR III 277; quoad vel vi vel ingenio prenderetur civitas Ib. IV 360; tribus ‥ militibus eum prendere volentibus, quartus dixit Ord. Vit. VIII 17 p. 373; si prendere eos temere presumpsisset, grande precium exigere potuisset Ib. XII 20 p. 371; hic [sc. canis] leporem prendit, fauces lepus exit inhermes Walt. Angl. Fab. 27. 5; ad familiare ‥ receptaculum se transfert falco noster, et timens et sperans ‥, quem Jovis armiger impetuose persequitur, jam jam prendenti similis Neckam NR I 27 p. 80.  b nam gremium pandens mox pulchra puerpera prendit Aldh. Aen. 60 (Monocerus) 8.  c venationes ‥ adeo prohibuit ut capitale esset suplitium prendidisse cervum W. Malm. GR IV 319; hi tres ‥ silvas adierunt, / mire magnitudinis cervum prendiderunt Latin Stories 140; discipuli piscabantur, et nihil prendiderunt Eul. Hist. I 153; ad prendendum pisces Femina 41.  d a1150 eques equitem, pedestrem pedes prendit pariter (Vers. Wint.) Hist. Chess 515. 3 to take into one’s possession, achieve possession of, obtain. non quod / prendiderim, vel quod perfectus sum [cf. Phil. iii 12: non quod jam acceperim, aut jam perfectus sim] H. Avr. Guthl. f. 64v. 8. 4 to encompass (within the grasp), contain, comprehend (in quots. in fig. context). b to grasp (with the mind), apprehend, comprehend, understand. sed me materiae moles ‥ / deprimit, ut cunctas non possit carta coronas / prendere virgineas Aldh. VirgV 2764; virtutesque sacri numero quid prendere certem? Bede CuthbV 607.  b nam Domini secreta latent archana nec ullus / sufficit altithroni vestigia prendere Regis Bede CuthbV 621. 5 to take (an oath). s1252 forma juramenti prensa per predictos duodecim electos hoc est MunAcOx 21.