present

comparative more present · superlative most present · alternative archaic præsent · alternative abbreviation ps.

1. Relating to now, for the time being; current.

   up to the present day

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   The barbaric practice continues to the present day.

   The present manager has been here longer than the last one.

   All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion […] such talk had been distressingly out of place.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: current

2. Located in the immediate vicinity.

   Is there a doctor present?

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   Only half of all present members were present at the meeting.

   Several people were present when the event took place.

   Being the leader, Jason is always present at class.

   Synonyms: close, nearby, around the corner, citerior, close, close by, immediate, near · Antonyms: absent

3. obsoleteHaving an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.First known use 16th–18th c.

   Amongſt this number of Cordials and Alteratiues, J doe not find a more preſent remedy, then a cup of wine, or ſtrong drinke, and if it be ſoberly and opportunely vſed.

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Alteratiues and Corials, corroborating, reſoluing the reliques, and mending the Temperament”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 5, member 1, subsection 5

   Synonyms: presentaneous · Antonyms: slow-acting

4. obsoleteNot delayed; immediate; instant.

   Sign me a present pardon for my brother,

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]

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   An ambassador[…]desires a present audience.

   1636, Philip Massinger, The Bashful Lover

   Synonyms: instantaneous, flash, immediate, instant, split-second, insta-, instantaneous · Antonyms: delayed, adjourned, bogged down, deferred, delayed, imprompt, in abeyance, in nubibus

5. datedReady; quick in emergency.

   a present wit

6. obsoleteFavorably attentive; propitious.

   to find a god so present to my prayer

   1697, Virgil, “Pastoral 1”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

7. Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.

   Near-synonyms: this (determiner), this (pronoun), current

   1 more example

   in the present study; the present article; the present results

   Synonyms: this, this, current

8. Attentive; alert; focused.

   Sorry, I was distracted just now, I'll try to be more present from now on.

   Synonyms: audient, heedful, reckful · Antonyms: distracted, inattentive

9. governmentNeither for or against (used in voting to express abstention).

plural presents · alternative archaic præsent · alternative abbreviation ps.

1. The current moment or period of time.

   Synonyms: now, as-is, here and now, now

2. grammarThe present tense.

plural presents · alternative archaic præsent · alternative abbreviation ps.

1. A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.

   wedding present

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   birthday present

   Oh! Thank you for the presents! How considerate of you!

   Only his friends attended his birthday party. They're all broke, so he got no present.

   “A very welcome, kind, useful present, that means to the parish. By the way, Hopkins, let this go no further. We don't want the tale running round that a rich person has arrived. Churchill, my dear fellow, we have such greedy sharks, and wolves in lamb's clothing.[…]”

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

2. governmentThe position of a soldier in presenting arms.

   The platoon stands at present.

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   He was at present near the headquarters gates.

3. colloquialendearingeuphemisticPoo; feces.

   I think our toddler's just left us a little present in his diaper...

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   She has to deal with her cats' presents in the litterboxes on a daily basis, and she doesn't mind one bit.

present singular third person presents · participle present presenting · participle past presented · past presented · alternative archaic præsent · alternative abbreviation ps.

1. ditransitiveTo bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.First known use 14th c.

   to present an envoy to the king

2. intransitiveTo appear or represent oneself outwardly.

   With your shabby attire, you do not present well as a prospective investment banking associate!

3. transitiveTo nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.First known use 14th c.
4. transitiveTo offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration.First known use 14th c.
5. archaictransitiveTo charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court.First known use 14th c.

   In the diocese of Gloucester in 1548 two inhabitants of Slimbridge were presented for saying that holy oil was ‘of no virtue but meet to grease sheep’.

   1971, Sir Keith Vivian Thomas, “3. The Impact of the Reformation”, in Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in popular beliefs in sixteenth and seventeenth century England, 1st edition, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; Folio Society, published 1971, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, pages 74–75

6. reflexiveTo come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally.First known use 14th c.

   Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 1:6

7. transitiveTo put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.First known use 14th c.

   Note: The offensive team must present a legal formation both before and after a shift.

   2020, NFL rule 7 section 4 article 7https://web.archive.org/web/20200610024505/https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-video-rulebook/illegal-shift/

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   So ladies in romance assist their knight, / Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.

   1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, canto

8. transitiveTo make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.First known use 14th c.

   I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a way as may interest the reader.

   1927, Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, “II. The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier”, in The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes, published 1927, →OCLC, page 49

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   Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.

   2012 January 28, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 08 Jan 2012, page 74

9. transitiveTo put on, stage (a play etc.).First known use 16th c.

   The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.

10. transitivegovernmentTo point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire.First known use 16th c.
11. reflexiveTo offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind.First known use 16th c.

    Well, one idea does present itself.

12. intransitivemedicineTo come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.First known use 19th c.

    The patient presented with insomnia.

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    Symptoms typically present in early childhood.

13. intransitivemedicineTo appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth.First known use 18th c.
14. intransitiveTo appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).

    At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.

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    In May 2019, a case was referred to the high court in which social workers for Lancashire county council had sought orders against the parents of two trans children to take the children into care. Social services were alerted when H, the couple’s three-year-old foster child, born male, had gone into school presenting as a girl.

    August 24 2021, Shon Faye, “‘I feel like it’s quite shaky acceptance’: trans kids and the fight for inclusion”, in The Guardian

15. transitiveTo act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.).First known use 20th c.

    Anne Robinson presents "The Weakest Link".

16. transitiveTo give a gift or presentation to (someone).First known use 14th c.

    She was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.

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    Live thou, and reign, forever, glorious Lord! / My last, least off’ring, I present thee now— / Renounce me, leave me, and be still ador’d! / Slay me, my God, and I applaud the blow.

    1980, William Cowper, “The Vicissitudes Experienced in a Christian Life”, in Baird, John D., Ryskamp, Charles, editors, The poems of William Cowper (Cantique; 69), revised edition, volume 3, quoted in translated from Madame Guyon and published in 1801, Oxford; New York City: Clarendon Press; Oxford University Press, →ISBN, →ISSN Invalid ISSN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 91, lines 117–120

    Synonyms: compliment, bestow

17. transitiveTo deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer.First known use 14th c.

    I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.

18. transitiveTo hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid.First known use 15th c.
19. intransitivebiologyTo display one's female genitalia in a way that signals to others that one is ready for copulation. Also referred to as lordosis behaviour.First known use 20th c.
20. slanglifestyleIn omegaverse fiction, to have one's secondary sex (alpha, omega, or beta) become apparent, typically at puberty.First known use 21st c.

    Sherlock’s gender performance itself remains unchanged, with the exception of the hormonal changes he goes through after presenting as an omega.

    2018, Ninna Ilias, "Reimagining Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Gender Performativity", thesis submitted to Radboud University, page 59

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    People “present” their secondary genders during puberty, so girls and boys are raised without knowing if they will be alphas, betas, or omegas.

    2019, Tessa Baron, "Just Go Find Yourself a Nice Alpha: Gender and Consent in Supernatural Fandom's Alpha/Beta/Omega Universe", thesis submitted to Oregon State University, page 17

alternative archaic præsent · alternative abbreviation ps.

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of presend