I.to choose or wish rather, to desire more, to prefer (class.; not in Cic.); constr. aliquid alicui, with an object-clause, or with ut: “praeoptantes exsilio modicam domi fortunam,” Liv. 29, 30, 12; 44, 22, 14; so, “suas leges Romanae civitati,” id. 9, 45, 7: “Punicam societatem Romanae,” id. 23, 43, 11: “filiam equitis Romani nuptiis generosarum,” Nep. Att. 12, 1.—With acc. and quam: “nemo non illos sibi quam vos dominos praeoptet,” Liv. 29, 17, 7: “sterilem platanum quam maritam ulmum praeoptaverim,” Quint. 8, 3, 8.—With object-clause: “meum potius caput periculo Praeoptavisse quam is periret ponere,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 5, 30: “multi praeoptarent scutum manu emittere et nudo corpore pugnare,” Caes. B. G. 1, 25; so, “perire,” Tac. H. 4, 58; Just. 8, 4, 5; 11, 14, 1; Val. Max. 4, 1, ext. 5; Sulp. Sev. Chron. 1, 32, 3; cf.: “ut puerum praeoptares perire, Potius quam,” Ter. Hec. 4, 1, 17. —With ut: “praeoptavisti, amorem tuom uti virtuti praeponeres,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 22.
prae-opto , āvi, ātum, 1, v. a.,