Praecipis

Praecipis is a Latin verb form, specifically the second-person singular present indicative of the verb praecipio. The principal sense of praecipio is “to instruct, to order, to command,” and praecipis therefore means “you instruct” or “you order.” This form appears in classical Latin in direct address or in reported speech where the subject is you.

Etymology and morphology: praecipio comes from the prefix prae- meaning “before” and capere “to take,” with the figurative sense of acting beforehand, i.e., giving instruction in advance. The verb belongs to the 3rd-conjugation group of -io verbs in Latin. The present indicative paradigm yields praecipis for you, praecipit for he/she/it, praecipimus for we, praecipitis for you plural, and praecipiunt for they. As a form, praecipis is a standard second-person singular in the present tense and is distinct from related forms such as the imperfect praecipiebas or the perfect praecipisti.

Usage notes: praecipis is used when addressing a single person directly and conveying commands or instructions. It can govern subordinate clauses with ut or purpose clauses in the subjunctive, depending on context. In translation, it is commonly rendered as “you order” or “you instruct,” with nuance ranging from commanding to guiding or directing behavior. The form should be distinguished from other tense forms of praecipio, such as praecipit (he orders) or praecipis’s imperfect and pluperfect counterparts.

See also: praecipio, the dictionary form of the verb, and praeceptum, the noun meaning “instruction” or “precept.”

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