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Etymology 1
[edit]English Wikipedia has an article on:presentWikipedia
From Middle Englishpresent, from Old Frenchpresent, from Latinpraesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse(“to be present”), from Latinprae-(“pre-”) + esse(“to be”).
Adjective
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present (comparative more present, superlative most present)
Relating to now, for the time being; current. The barbaric practice continues to the present day.The present manager has been here longer than the last one.up to the present day
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC: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.
Located in the immediate vicinity. Only half of all present members were present at the meeting.Is there a doctor present?Several people were present when the event took place.Being the leader, Jason is always present at class.
(obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting. [16th–18th c.]
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: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.
(obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
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]:Sign me a present pardon for my brother,
1636, Philip Massinger, The Bashful Lover:An ambassador[…]desires a present audience.
(dated) Ready; quick in emergency. a present wit
(obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
1697, Virgil, “Pastoral 1”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis.[…], London: […] Jacob Tonson,[…], →OCLC:to find a god so present to my prayer
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), currentin the present study; the present article; the present results
Attentive; alert; focused. Sorry, I was distracted just now, I'll try to be more present from now on.
(politics) Neither for or against (used in voting to express abstention)
Synonyms
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(relating to now):current; see also Thesaurus:present
(in vicinity):close, nearby; see also Thesaurus:near
(having an immediate effect):presentaneous
(not delayed):instantaneous; see also Thesaurus:instantaneous
(attentive):audient, heedful, reckful
Antonyms
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(antonym(s) of “relating to now”):future, past
(antonym(s) of “in vicinity”):absent
(antonym(s) of “having an immediate effect”):slow-acting
(antonym(s) of “not delayed”):delayed; see also Thesaurus:delayed
(antonym(s) of “attentive”):distracted, inattentive
Ukrainian: спра́вжнєn(správžnje), тепе́рішній час (uk)m(tepérišnij čas), сьогоде́нняn(sʹohodénnja), суча́сністьf(sučásnistʹ), тепе́рішнєn(tepérišnje)
Urdu: عَہْدِ حاضِرm('ahd-i hāzir), حال (ur)m(hāl)
Uyghur: please add this translation if you can
Uzbek: hozirgi (uz)
Vietnamese: hiện tại (vi) (現在)
Walloon: tins d' asteurem
present tense — see present tense
Etymology 2
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From Middle Englishpresenten, from Old Frenchpresenter, from Latinpraesentāre(“to show”), from praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse(“be in front of”).
Noun
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present (plural presents)
A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions. wedding present; birthday presentOh! 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.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:“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.[…]”
(military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms. The platoon stands at present.He was at present near the headquarters gates.
(colloquial, euphemistic, endearing) poo; feces 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.
Derived terms
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Christmas present
compresent
presentless
pressie
push present
Descendants
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→ Japanese: プレゼント(purezento)
Translations
[edit] gift — see gift
Verb
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present (third-person singular simple present presents, present participle presenting, simple past and past participle presented)
To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally. [from 14th c.]to present an envoy to the king
(intransitive) To appear or represent oneself outwardly. With your shabby attire, you do not present well as a prospective investment banking associate!
(transitive) To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution. [from 14th c.]
(transitive) To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration. [from 14th c.]
(transitive, now rare) To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court. [from 14th c.]
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[1], 1st edition, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson; Orion Publishing Group, Limited; Folio Society, published 1971, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, pages 74–75: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’.
(reflexive) To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally. [from 14th c.]
1611, The Holy Bible,[…] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker,[…], →OCLC, Job 1:6:Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord.
(transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit. [from 14th c.]
1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations.[…], London: […] Bernard Lintott[…], →OCLC, canto:So ladies in romance assist their knight, / Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
2020, NFL rule 7 section 4 article 7[2]: Note: The offensive team must present a legal formation both before and after a shift.
(transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration. [from 14th c.]
1927, Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, “II. The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier”, in The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes[3], published 1927, →OCLC, page 49:I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a way as may interest the reader.
2012 January, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist[4], volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 8 January 2012, page 74: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.
(transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.). [from 16th c.]The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.
(transitive, military) To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire. [from 16th c.]
(reflexive) To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind. [from 16th c.]Well, one idea does present itself.
(intransitive, medicine) To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom. [from 19th c.]The patient presented with insomnia.Symptoms typically present in early childhood.
(intransitive, medicine) To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth. [from 18th c.]
(intransitive, with "as") To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender). At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.
August 24 2021, Shon Faye, “‘I feel like it’s quite shaky acceptance’: trans kids and the fight for inclusion”, in The Guardian: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.
(transitive) To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.). [from 20th c.]Anne Robinson presents "The Weakest Link".
(transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone). [from 14th c.]Synonyms:compliment, bestowShe was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.
1980, William Cowper, “The Vicissitudes Experienced in a Christian Life”, in Baird, John D., Ryskamp, Charles, editors, The poems of William Cowper (Cantique; 69)[5], 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: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.
(transitive) To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer. [from 14th c.]I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.
(transitive) To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid. [from 15th c.]
(intransitive, zoology) 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. [from 20th c.]
(fandom slang) In omegaverse fiction, to have one's secondary sex (alpha, omega, or beta) become apparent, typically at puberty. [from 21st c.]
2018, Ninna Ilias, "Reimagining Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Gender Performativity", thesis submitted to Radboud University, page 59: Sherlock’s gender performance itself remains unchanged, with the exception of the hormonal changes he goes through after presenting as an omega.
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: People “present” their secondary genders during puberty, so girls and boys are raised without knowing if they will be alphas, betas, or omegas.
For more quotations using this term, see Citations:present.
Derived terms
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malpresent
mispresent
presentability
presentable
present arms
presentative
presentee
presentive
presentment
represent
Translations
[edit] to bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally
to nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution to offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration (now rare in English) to charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court
(reflexive) to come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally to put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit
Asturian: presentar (ast)
Catalan: presentar (ca)
French: exposer (fr), présenter (fr)
Hindi: पेश करना(peś karnā)
Italian: presentare (it), esporre (it)
Latin: exhibeo (la), praesento
Portuguese: apresentar (pt)
Spanish: presentar (es), exponer (es)
to make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration to put on, stage (a play etc.) military: to point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire (reflexive) to offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind
Danish: byde sig (da)
medicine: to come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom
Portuguese: apresentar (pt)
medicine: to appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth (with "as") to appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender) to act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.)
Portuguese: presentear (pt)(a gift), premiar (pt)(an award, prize or trophy)
Quechua: quy
Russian: дари́ть (ru)impf(darítʹ), подари́ть (ru)pf(podarítʹ)(a gift), вруча́ть (ru)impf(vručátʹ), вручи́ть (ru)pf(vručítʹ)(a prize or award), презентова́ть (ru)impf or pf(prezentovátʹ)
Slovene: podeliti
Spanish: presentar (es)
Swedish: presentera (sv), överlämna (sv)
Ukrainian: дарува́ти(daruváty)
Walloon: bistoker (wa)
to give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow
Greek: Ancient Greek: προπῑ́νω(propī́nō)
to deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer to hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid
Bulgarian: представям (bg)(predstavjam)
Italian: presentare (it)
zoology: 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)
Etymology 3
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From presend + -t
Verb
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present
simple past and past participle of presend
Further reading
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“present”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “present”, in The Century Dictionary[…], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
“present”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams
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Serpent, penster, repents, respent, serpent
Catalan
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Etymology
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Borrowed from Latinpraesentem. First attested in the 13th century.[1]
Pronunciation
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IPA(key): (Central)[pɾəˈzen]
IPA(key): (Balearic)[pɾəˈzent]
IPA(key): (Valencia)[pɾeˈzent]
Audio (Catalonia):
(file)
Noun
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presentm (plural presents)
present(current moment or period of time)
(grammar)present(grammatical tense)
Adjective
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presentm or f (masculine and feminine plural presents)
present(at a given location)
Derived terms
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tenir present
References
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^ “present”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
Further reading
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“present”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
“present” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
“present” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Chinese
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Etymology
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From Englishpresent or clipping of Englishpresentation.
Pronunciation
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Cantonese (Jyutping): pi6 sen1
Cantonese
(Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)+
Jyutping: pi6 sen1
Cantonese Pinyin: pi6 sen1
Sinological IPA (key): /pʰiː²² sɛːn⁵⁵/
Verb
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present
(Hong Kong Cantonese) to present; to give a lecture or speech to an audience
2024 May 17, 蕭國華, “Ivan返來了”, in 愛·回家之開心速遞[6], episode 2283, spoken by 龍敢威 [Lung Kam Wai] (羅樂林 [Law Lok-lam]):present pre到一嚿嚿，搞到步君集團對我哋冇晒信心，取消個合作。[Cantonese, trad.]present pre到一嚿嚿，搞到步君集团对我哋冇晒信心，取消个合作。[Cantonese, simp.]pri6 sen1 pri6 dou3 jat1 gau6 gau6, gaau2 dou3 bou6 gwan1 zaap6 tyun4 deoi3 ngo5 dei6 mou5 saai3 seon3 sam1, ceoi2 siu1 go3 hap6 zok3.[Jyutping](please add an English translation of this quotation)
Synonyms
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pre
Noun
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present
(Hong Kong Cantonese) presentation (lecture or speech)
1417, La disputation de l'Asne contre frere Anselme Turmeda [7] Un iour qu'il alloit par ladite cité & passant p[ar] la rue de la mer, veit une guenon dedans un panier & l'acheta pour en faire un present audit conte d'Armignac son parent, pource que en France i'a pas beaucoup de telz animaux.One day as he was walking through said city and passing through la Rue de Mer, he saw an Old World monkey in a basket and bought it to give it as a present to the Count of Armignac, his father, because there are not many animals like this one in France.
(grammar)present (tense)
Old French
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Noun
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presentoblique singular, m (oblique plural presenz or presentz, nominative singular presenz or presentz, nominative pluralpresent)
gift; present
c.1170, Wace, Le Roman de Rou:Itant out li Quens un presentD'une cupe chiere d'argentAt this moment he presented the CountWith a valuable silver cup
(grammar)present (tense)
Swedish
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Alternative forms
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præsent
Pronunciation
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IPA(key): /prɛˈsent/
Audio (Gotland);“en present”:
(file)
Noun
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presentc
gift, present
Declension
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Declension of present
nominative
genitive
singular
indefinite
present
presents
definite
presenten
presentens
plural
indefinite
presenter
presenters
definite
presenterna
presenternas
Derived terms
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födelsedagspresent(“birthday present”)
See also
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gåva
klapp
omslagspapper(“wrapping paper”)
presentpapper(“gift wrap”)
slå in(“wrap”)
References
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“present”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
“present”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
“present”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
