present — English Dictionary

present
Word-form referencespresend
Pronunciations (11)
  • /ˈpɹɛz.ənt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
    • General-American
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /ˈpɹez.ənt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
    • New-Zealand
  • /pɹɪˈzɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /pɹɪˈzɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
  • /pɹiˈzɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • US
  • /pɹɪˈzɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
  • /pɹəˈzɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
  • /pɹɪˈzent/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
  • /pɹəˈzent/
    Pronunciation notes
    • New-Zealand
  • /pɹiːˈsɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /pɹiˈsɛnt/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Canada
    • General-American

Adjective

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

    Examples

    The barbaric practice continues to the present day.

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

    More examples (2)

    up to the present day

    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.

  2. Located in the immediate vicinity.

    Examples

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

    Is there a doctor present?

    More examples (2)

    Several people were present when the event took place.

    Being the leader, Jason is always present at class.

  3. Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples
    More examples (1)

    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.

  4. Not delayed; immediate; instant.

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples

    Sign me a present pardon for my brother,

    An ambassador[…]desires a present audience.

  5. Ready; quick in emergency.

    Usage
    • Dated
    Examples

    a present wit

  6. Favorably attentive; propitious.

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples

    to find a god so present to my prayer

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

    Synonyms
    Examples

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

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

  8. Attentive; alert; focused.

    Examples

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

  9. Neither for or against (used in voting to express abstention)

Noun

  1. The current moment or period of time.

  2. The present tense.

Noun

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

    Examples

    wedding present

    birthday present

    More examples (3)

    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.[…]”

  2. The position of a soldier in presenting arms.

    Examples

    The platoon stands at present.

    He was at present near the headquarters gates.

  3. Poo; feces.

    Usage
    • Colloquial
    • endearing
    • euphemistic
    Examples

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

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

Verb

  1. To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.

    Examples

    to present an envoy to the king

  2. To appear or represent oneself outwardly.

    Usage
    • Intransitive
    Examples

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

  3. To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.

    Usage
    • Transitive
  4. To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration.

    Usage
    • Transitive
  5. To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court.

    Usage
    • Archaic
    • Transitive
    Examples

    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’.

  6. To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally.

    Usage
    • Reflexive
    Examples

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

  7. To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

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

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

  8. To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

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

    More examples (1)

    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.

  9. To put on, stage (a play etc.).

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.

  10. To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire.

    Usage
    • Transitive
  11. To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind.

    Usage
    • Reflexive
    Examples

    Well, one idea does present itself.

  12. To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.

    Usage
    • Intransitive
    Examples

    The patient presented with insomnia.

    Symptoms typically present in early childhood.

  13. To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth.

    Usage
    • Intransitive
  14. To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).

    Usage
    • Intransitive
    • with "as"
    Examples

    At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.

    More examples (1)

    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.

  15. To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.).

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    Anne Robinson presents "The Weakest Link".

  16. To give a gift or presentation to (someone).

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

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

    More examples (1)

    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.

  17. To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.

  18. To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid.

    Usage
    • Transitive
  19. To display one's female genitalia in a way that signals to others that one is ready for copulation. Also referred to as lordosis behaviour.

    Usage
    • Intransitive
  20. In omegaverse fiction, to have one's secondary sex (alpha, omega, or beta) become apparent, typically at puberty.

    Usage
    • Slang
    Examples

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

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

Adjective

  1. temporal sense; intermediate between past and future; now existing or happening or in consideration

    Antonyms
    Examples

    the present leader

    articles for present use

    More examples (3)

    the present topic

    the present system

    present observations

  2. being or existing in a specified place

    Antonyms
    Examples

    the murderer is present in this room

    present at the wedding

    More examples (1)

    present at the creation

Noun

  1. the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    that is enough for the present

    he lives in the present with no thought of tomorrow

  2. something presented as a gift

    Broader terms
    Examples

    his tie was a present from his wife

  3. a verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking

    Broader terms

Verb

  1. give an exhibition of to an interested audience

    Broader terms
    Examples

    She shows her dogs frequently

    We will demo the new software in Washington

  2. bring forward and present to the mind

    Broader terms
    Examples

    We presented the arguments to him

    We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason

  3. perform (a play), especially on a stage

    Broader terms
    Examples

    we are going to stage ‘Othello’

  4. hand over formally

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
  5. offer for others to consider

    Synonyms
    Examples

    This poses an interesting question

  6. give, especially as an honor or reward

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    bestow honors and prizes at graduation

  7. give as a present; make a gift of

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    What will you give her for her birthday?

  8. deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

    Synonyms
    Examples

    The commencement speaker presented a forceful speech that impressed the students

  9. cause to come to know personally

    Broader terms
    Examples

    permit me to acquaint you with my son

    introduce the new neighbors to the community

  10. represent abstractly, for example in a painting, drawing, or sculpture

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting

  11. present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    We confronted him with the evidence

    He was faced with all the evidence and could no longer deny his actions

    More examples (1)

    An enormous dilemma faces us

  12. formally present a debutante, a representative of a country, etc.

    Broader terms
  13. recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation; assume a prescribed position

    Synonyms
    Examples

    When the officers show up, the soldiers have to salute

Word forms
more presentmost presentpræsentps.presentspresentspresentingpresentedpresented

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