I.to strew in front of, to strew before one; also, to throw to the ground, throw down, overthrow, prostrate (syn.: fundo, profligo, provolvo).
I. Lit.: “eo prosternebant folia farferi,” Plaut. Poen. 2, 31 (al. praesternebant): “ceteros ruerem ... et prosternerem,” Ter. Ad. 3, 2, 21: “pondere silvam,” Ov. M. 8, 776: “prostraturus humi corpus,” Curt. 8, 5, 6; cf. Liv. 9, 6: “se ad pedes alicujus,” Cic. Phil. 2, 18, 45; so, “prosternere se et supplicare alicui,” id. Planc. 20, 50: “his auditis prostraverant se omnes humi,” Liv. 45, 20, 9: “hostem prostravit, fudit, occidit,” Cic. Phil. 14, 10, 27: “hostem ferro,” Sil. 7, 397: “legio prosternitur latis arvis,” Val. Fl. 6, 508: “telo virum,” id. ib. 3, 185: “lapsu equi prostratus,” Tac. H. 4, 34.—
II. Trop.
1. To throw to the ground, to overthrow, subvert, ruin, destroy, etc. (freq. and class.): “omnia cupiditate ac furore,” Cic. Clu. 6, 15; 31, 70; cf.: “jacet ille nunc prostratus,” id. Cat. 2, 1, 2; and: “afflicta ct prostrata virtus,” id. de Or. 2, 52, 211; id. Leg. 2, 17, 42: malevolorum obtrectationes, Vatin. ap. Cic. Fam. 5, 9, 1: “mores civitatis,” Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 113: “carminum studium,” Tac. Or 11: se prosternere, to demean or debase one's self, Cic. Par. 1, 14: “prostrata est Philisthaea omnis,” Vulg. Isa. 14, 31.—
2. To prostitute, Suet. Caes. 2; id. Tib. 35; id. Calig. 24; Just. 12, 7, 11; Arn. 2, 73 (in Plin Pan. 31 the true read. is praesterni).