A more thorough explanation:

A writ of praecipe is a legal document that commands a defendant to take a specific action or explain why they have not taken action. It can also refer to a written request for court action, such as setting a trial date or entering a judgment.

For example, if a plaintiff wants to recover a specific piece of property from a defendant, they may use a praecipe writ to command the defendant to return the property or explain why they should not have to.

In the past, a praecipe writ was also used to begin an action for common recovery, which was a legal process for transferring land ownership. The writ would command the defendant to appear in court and return the property in question.

Overall, a writ of praecipe is a powerful tool for plaintiffs to compel action from defendants in legal disputes.