a. [ F. présent, L. praesens, -entis, that is before one, in sight or at hand, p. p. of praeesse to be before; prae before + esse to be. See Essence. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Being at hand, within reach or call, within certain contemplated limits; -- opposed to absent. [ 1913 Webster ]

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. John xiv. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Now existing, or in process; begun but not ended; now in view, or under consideration; being at this time; not past or future; as, the present session of Congress; the present state of affairs; the present instance. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll bring thee to the present business Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not delayed; immediate; instant; coincident. “A present recompense.” “A present pardon.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

An ambassador . . . desires a present audience. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Ready; quick in emergency; as a present wit. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Favorably attentive; propitious. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To find a god so present to my prayer. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Present tense (Gram.), the tense or form of a verb which expresses action or being in the present time; as, I am writing, I write, or I do write. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Presented; p. pr. & vb. n. Presenting. ] [ F. présenter, L. praesentare, fr. praesens, a. See Present, a. ] 1. To bring or introduce into the presence of some one, especially of a superior; to introduce formally; to offer for acquaintance; as, to present an envoy to the king; (with the reciprocal pronoun) to come into the presence of a superior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord. Job i. 6 [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exhibit or offer to view or notice; to lay before one's perception or cognizance; to set forth; to present a fine appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lectorides's memory is ever . . . presenting him with the thoughts of other persons. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To pass over, esp. in a ceremonious manner; to give in charge or possession; to deliver; to make over. [ 1913 Webster ]

So ladies in romance assist their knight,
Present the spear, and arm him for the fight. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make a gift of; to bestow; to give, generally in a formal or ceremonious manner; to grant; to confer. [ 1913 Webster ]

My last, least offering, I present thee now. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Hence: To endow; to bestow a gift upon; to favor, as with a donation; also, to court by gifts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Octavia presented the poet for him admirable elegy on her son Marcellus. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To present; to personate. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. In specific uses; (a) To nominate to an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution. [ 1913 Webster ]

The patron of a church may present his clerk to a parsonage or vicarage; that is, may offer him to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) To nominate for support at a public school or other institution . Lamb. (c) To lay before a public body, or an official, for consideration, as before a legislature, a court of judicature, a corporation, etc.; as, to present a memorial, petition, remonstrance, or indictment. (d) To lay before a court as an object of inquiry; to give notice officially of, as a crime of offence; to find or represent judicially; as, a grand jury present certain offenses or nuisances, or whatever they think to be public injuries. (e) To bring an indictment against . [ U.S ] (f) To aim, point, or direct, as a weapon; as, to present a pistol or the point of a sword to the breast of another. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pesent arms (Mil.), the command in response to which the gun is carried perpendicularly in front of the center of the body, and held there with the left hand grasping it at the lower band, and the right hand grasping the small of the stock, in token of respect, as in saluting a superior officer; also, the position taken at such a command. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. présent . ] Anything presented or given; a gift; a donative; as, a Christmas present. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Gift; donation; donative; benefaction. See Gift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mil.) The position of a soldier in presenting arms; as, to stand at present. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Med.) To appear at the mouth of the uterus so as to be perceptible to the finger in vaginal examination; -- said of a part of an infant during labor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. présent. See Present, a. ] 1. Present time; the time being; time in progress now, or at the moment contemplated; as, at this present. [ 1913 Webster ]

Past and present, wound in one. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. (Law) Present letters or instrument, as a deed of conveyance, a lease, letter of attorney, or other writing; as in the phrase, “ Know all men by these presents, ” that is, by the writing itself, “ per has literas praesentes; ” -- in this sense, rarely used in the singular. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) A present tense, or the form of the verb denoting the present tense. [ 1913 Webster ]

At present, at the present time; now. --
For the present, for the tine being; temporarily. --
In present, at once, without delay. [ Obs. ] “With them, in present, half his kingdom; the rest to follow at his death.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. présentable. ] 1. Capable or admitting of being presented; suitable to be exhibited, represented, or offered; fit to be brought forward or set forth; hence, fitted to be introduced to another, or to go into society; as, ideas that are presentable in simple language; she is not presentable in such a gown. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Admitting of the presentation of a clergiman; as, a church presentable. [ R. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. praesentaneus. See Present, a. ] Ready; quick; immediate in effect; as, presentaneous poison. [ Obs. ] Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. praesentatio a showing, representation: cf. F. présentation. ] 1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; a setting forth; an offering; bestowal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Prayers are sometimes a presentation of mere desires. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, exhibition; representation; display; appearance; semblance; show. [ 1913 Webster ]

Under the presentation of the shoots his wit. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is presented or given; a present; a gift, as, the picture was a presentation. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Eccl.) The act of offering a clergyman to the bishop or ordinary for institution in a benefice; the right of presenting a clergyman. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the bishop admits the patron's presentation, the clerk so admitted is next to be instituted by him. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Med.) The particular position of the child during labor relatively to the passage though which it is to be brought forth; -- specifically designated by the part which first appears at the mouth of the uterus; as, a breech presentation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Presentation copy, a copy of a book, engraving, etc., presented to some one by the author or artist, as a token of regard. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Eccl.) Having the right of presentation, or offering a clergyman to the bishop for institution; as, advowsons are presentative, collative, or donative. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Admitting the presentation of a clergyman; as, a presentative parsonage. Spelman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Metaph.) Capable of being directly known by, or presented to, the mind; intuitive; directly apprehensible, as objects; capable of apprehending, as faculties. [ 1913 Webster ]

The latter term, presentative faculty, I use . . . in contrast and correlation to a “representative faculty.” Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]