Presence Pres"ence noun [ French
présence , Latin
praesentia . See
Present .]
1. The state of being present, or of being within sight or call, or at hand; -- opposed to absence . 2. The place in which one is present; the part of space within one's ken, call, influence, etc.; neighborhood without the intervention of anything that forbids intercourse. Wrath shell be no more
Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire.
Milton. 3. Specifically, neighborhood to the person of one of superior of exalted rank; also, presence chamber. In such a presence here to plead my thoughts.
Shak. An't please your grace, the two great cardinals.
Wait in the presence .
Shak. 4. The whole of the personal qualities of an individual; person; personality; especially, the person of a superior, as a sovereign. The Sovran Presence thus replied.
Milton. 5. An assembly, especially of person of rank or nobility; noble company. Odmar, of all this presence does contain,
Give her your wreath whom you esteem most fair.
Dryden. 6. Port, mien; air; personal appearence. "Rather dignity of presence than beauty of aspect."
Bacon. A graceful presence bespeaks acceptance.
Collier. Presence chamber , or
Presence room ,
the room in which a great personage receives company. Addison. "
Chambers of presence ."
Bacon. --
Presence of mind ,
that state of the mind in which all its faculties are alert, prompt, and acting harmoniously in obedience to the will, enabling one to reach, as it were spontaneously or by intuition, just conclusions in sudden emergencies.
Presensation Pre`senˇsa"tion noun Previous sensation, notion, or idea. [ Obsolete]
Dr. H. More.
Presension Preˇsen"sion noun [ Latin
praesensio , from
praesentire to perceive beforehand. See
Presentient .]
Previous perception. [ Obsolete]
Sir T. Browne.
Present Pres"ent adjective [ French
présent , Latin
praesens ,
-entis , that is before one, in sight or at hand, past participle of
praeesse to be before;
prae before +
esse to be. See
Essence .]
1. Being at hand, within reach or call, within certain contemplated limits; -- opposed to absent . These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
John xiv. 25. 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. I'll bring thee to the present business
Shak. 3. Not delayed; immediate; instant; coincident. "A
present recompense." "A
present pardon."
Shak. An ambassador . . . desires a present audience.
Massinger. 4. Ready; quick in emergency; as a present wit. [ R.]
5. Favorably attentive; propitious. [ Archaic]
To find a god so present to my prayer.
Dryden. 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 .
Present Pres"ent noun [ Confer French
présent . See
Present ,
adjective ]
1. Present time; the time being; time in progress now, or at the moment contemplated; as, at this present . Past and present , wound in one.
Tennyson. 2. plural (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. 3. (Gram.) A present tense, or the form of the verb denoting the present tense. At present ,
at the present time; now. --
For the present ,
for the tine being; temporarily. --
In present ,
at once, without delay. [ Obsolete] "With them,
in present , half his kingdom; the rest to follow at his death."
Milton.
Present Preˇsent" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Presented ;
present participle & verbal noun Presenting .] [ French
présenter , Latin
praesentare , from
praesens , adjective See
Present ,
adjective ]
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. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord.
Job i. 6 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. Lectorides's memory is ever . . . presenting him with the thoughts of other persons.
I. Watts. 3. To pass over, esp. in a ceremonious manner; to give in charge or possession; to deliver; to make over. So ladies in romance assist their knight,
Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
Pope. 4. To make a gift of; to bestow; to give, generally in a formal or ceremonious manner; to grant; to confer. My last, least offering, I present thee now.
Cowper. 5. Hence: To endow; to bestow a gift upon; to favor, as with a donation; also, to court by gifts. Octavia presented the poet for him admirable elegy on her son Marcellus.
Dryden. 6. To present; to personate. [ Obsolete]
Shak. 7. In specific uses;
(a) To nominate to an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution. 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. (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. 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.
Present Preˇsent" intransitive verb (Medicine) 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.
Present Pres"ent noun [ French
présent .]
Anything presented or given; a gift; a donative; as, a Christmas present . Syn. -- Gift; donation; donative; benefaction. See
Gift .
Present Preˇsent" noun (Mil.) The position of a soldier in presenting arms; as, to stand at present .
Present value, worth Pres"ent value, worth (of money payable at a future date). The principal which, drawing interest at a given rate, will amount to the given sum at the date on which this is to be paid; thus, interest being at 6%, the present value of $106 due one year hence is $100.
Presentable Preˇsent"aˇble adjective [ Confer French
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. 2. Admitting of the presentation of a clergiman; as, a church presentable . [ R.]
Ayliffe.
Presentaneous Pres`enˇta"neˇous adjective [ Latin
praesentaneus . See
Present ,
adjective ]
Ready; quick; immediate in effect; as, presentaneous poison. [ Obsolete]
Harvey.
Presentation Pres`enˇta"tion noun [ Latin
praesentatio a showing, representation: confer French
présentation .]
1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; a setting forth; an offering; bestowal. Prayers are sometimes a presentation of mere desires.
Hooker. 2. Hence,
exhibition; representation; display; appearance; semblance; show. Under the presentation of the shoots his wit.
Shak. 3. That which is presented or given; a present; a gift, as, the picture was a presentation . [ R.]
4. (Eccl.) The act of offering a clergyman to the bishop or ordinary for institution in a benefice; the right of presenting a clergyman. If the bishop admits the patron's presentation , the clerk so admitted is next to be instituted by him.
Blackstone. 5. (Medicine) 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 . Presentation copy ,
a copy of a book, engraving, etc., presented to some one by the author or artist, as a token of regard.
Presentative Preˇsent"aˇtive adjective 1. (Eccl.) Having the right of presentation, or offering a clergyman to the bishop for institution; as, advowsons are presentative , collative, or donative. Blackstone. 2. Admitting the presentation of a clergyman; as, a presentative parsonage. Spelman. 3. (Metaph.) Capable of being directly known by, or presented to, the mind; intuitive; directly apprehensible, as objects; capable of apprehending, as faculties. The latter term, presentative faculty, I use . . . in contrast and correlation to a "representative faculty."
Sir W. Hamilton.
Presentee Pres`enˇtee" noun [ French
présenté , past participle See
Present ,
transitive verb ]
One to whom something is presented; also, one who is presented; specifically (Eccl.) , one presented to benefice. Ayliffe.
Presenter Preˇsent"er noun One who presents.
Presential Preˇsen"tial adjective [ Late Latin
praesentialis .]
Implying actual presence; present, immediate. [ Obsolete]
God's mercy is made presential to us.
Jer. Taylor. --
Pre*sen"tial*ly ,
adverb [ Obsolete]
Presentiality Preˇsen`tiˇal"iˇty noun State of being actually present. [ Obsolete]
South.
Presentiate Preˇsen"tiˇate transitive verb To make present. [ Obsolete]
Presentient Preˇsen"tient adjective [ Latin
praesentiens , present participle of
praesentire to perceive beforehand;
prae before +
sentire to feel.]
Feeling or perceiving beforehand.
Presentific Pres`enˇtif"ic adjective [ Latin
praesens ,
-entis , present +
facere to make.]
Making present. [ Obsolete] --
Pres`en*tif"ic*ly ,
adverb [ Obsolete]
Dr. H. More.
Presentifical Pres`enˇtif"icˇal adjective Presentific. [ Obsolete]
Presentiment Preˇsen"tiˇment noun [ Prefix
pre- +
sentiment : confer French
pressentiment . See
Presentient .]
Previous sentiment, conception, or opinion; previous apprehension; especially, an antecedent impression or conviction of something unpleasant, distressing, or calamitous, about to happen; anticipation of evil; foreboding.
Presentimental Preˇsen`tiˇmen"tal adjective Of nature of a presentiment; foreboding. [ R.]
Coleridge.
Presention Preˇsen"tion noun See Presension . [ Obsolete]
Presentive Preˇsent"ive adjective (Philol.) Bringing a conception or notion directly before the mind; presenting an object to the memory of imagination; -- distinguished from symbolic . How greatly the word "will" is felt to have lost presentive power in the last three centuries.
Earle. --
Pre*sent"ive*ly ,
adverb --
Pre*sent"ive*ness ,
noun
Presently Pres"entˇly adverb 1. At present; at this time; now. [ Obsolete]
The towns and forts you presently have.
Sir P. Sidney. 2. At once; without delay; forthwith; also, less definitely, soon; shortly; before long; after a little while; by and by. Shak. And presently the fig tree withered away.
Matt. xxi. 19. 3. With actual presence; actually . [ Obsolete]
His precious body and blood presently three .
Bp. Gardiner.
Presentment Preˇsent"ment noun 1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; presentation. " Upon the heels of my
presentment ."
Shak. 2. Setting forth to view; delineation; appearance; representation; exhibition. Power to cheat the eye with blear illusion,
And give it false presentment .
Milton. 3. (Law) (a) The notice taken by a grand jury of any offence from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them, as, the presentment of a nuisance, a libel, or the like; also, an inquisition of office and indictment by a grand jury; an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment, or the act of offering an indictment; also, the indictment itself. (b) The official notice (formerly required to be given in court) of the surrender of a copyhold estate. Blackstone. Presentment of a bill of exchange ,
the offering of a bill to the drawee for acceptance, or to the acceptor for payment. See Bill of exchange , under Bill . Mozley & W.
Presentness Pres"entˇness noun The quality or state of being present; presence. [ Obsolete] "
Presentness of mind in danger."
Clarendon.
Presentoir Pres`enˇtoir" noun [ Formed after analogy of French.]
An ornamental tray, dish, or the like, used as a salver.
Preservable Preˇserv"aˇble adjective Capable of being preserved; admitting of preservation.
Preservation Pres`erˇva"tion noun [ Confer French
préservation .]
The act or process of preserving, or keeping safe; the state of being preserved, or kept from injury, destruction, or decay; security; safety; as, preservation of life, fruit, game, etc.; a picture in good preservation . Give us particulars of thy preservation .
Shak.
Preservative Preˇserv"aˇtive adjective [ Confer French
préservatif .]
Having the power or quality of preserving; tending to preserve, or to keep from injury, decay, etc.
Preservative Preˇserv"aˇtive noun That which preserves, or has the power of preserving; a presevative agent. To wear tablets as preservatives against the plague.
Bacon.
Preservatory Preˇserv"aˇtoˇry adjective Preservative. Bp. Hall.
Preservatory Preˇserv"aˇtoˇry noun ;
plural Preservatories 1. A preservative. [ Obsolete]
Whitlock. 2. A room, or apparatus, in which perishable things, as fruit, vegetables, etc., can be preserved without decay.
Preserve Preˇserve" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Preserved ;
present participle & verbal noun Preserving .] [ French
préserver , from Latin
prae before +
servare to save, preserve; confer Latin
praeservare to observe beforehand. See
Serve .]
1. To keep or save from injury or destruction; to guard or defend from evil, harm, danger, etc.; to protect. O Lord, thou preserved man and beast.
Ps. xxxvi. 6. Now, good angels preserve the king.
Shak. 2. To save from decay by the use of some preservative substance, as sugar, salt, etc.; to season and prepare for remaining in a good state, as fruits, meat, etc.; as, to preserve peaches or grapes. You can not preserve it from tainting.
Shak. 3. To maintain throughout; to keep intact; as, to preserve appearances; to preserve silence. To preserve game ,
to protect it from extermination. Syn. -- To keep; save; secure; uphold; sustain; defend; spare; protect; guard; shield. See
Keep .
Preserve Preˇserve" intransitive verb 1. To make preserves. Shak. 2. To protect game for purposes of sport.
Preserve Preˇserve" noun 1. That which is preserved; fruit, etc., seasoned and kept by suitable preparation; esp., fruit cooked with sugar; -- commonly in the plural. 2. A place in which game, fish, etc., are preserved for purposes of sport, or for food.
Preserver Preˇserv"er noun 1. One who, or that which, preserves, saves, or defends, from destruction, injury, or decay; esp., one who saves the life or character of another. Shak. 2. One who makes preserves of fruit. Game preserver .
See under Game .
Preshow Preˇshow" transitive verb To foreshow.
Preside Preˇside" intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Presided ;
present participle & verbal noun Presiding .] [ Latin
praesidere ;
prae before +
sedere to sit: confer French
présider . See
Sit .]
1. To be set, or to sit, in the place of authority; to occupy the place of president, chairman, moderator, director, etc.; to direct, control, and regulate, as chief officer; as, to preside at a public meeting; to preside over the senate. 2. To exercise superintendence; to watch over. Some o'er the public magazines preside .
Dryden.
Presidence Pres"iˇdence noun See Presidency . [ Obsolete]
Presidency Pres"iˇdenˇcy noun ;
plural Presidencies . [ Confer French
présidence .]
1. The function or condition of one who presides; superintendence; control and care. 2. The office of president; as, Washington was elected to the presidency . 3. The term during which a president holds his office; as, during the presidency of Madison. 4. One of the three great divisions of British India, the Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Presidencies, each of which had a council of which its governor was president.
President Pres"iˇdent noun Precedent. [ Obsolete]
Bacon.
President Pres"iˇdent adjective Occupying the first rank or chief place; having the highest authority; presiding. [ R.]
His angels president
In every province.
Milton.
President Pres"iˇdent noun [ French
président , Latin
praesidens ,
-entis , present participle of
praesidere . See
Preside .]
1. One who is elected or appointed to preside; a presiding officer, as of a legislative body. Specifically:
(a) The chief officer of a corporation, company, institution, society, or the like. (b) The chief executive officer of the government in certain republics; as, the president of the United States. 2. A protector; a guardian; a presiding genius. [ Obsolete]
Just Apollo, president of verse.
Waller.
Presidential Pres`iˇden"tial adjective 1. Presiding or watching over. "
Presidential angels."
Glanvill. 2. Of or pertaining to a president; as, the presidential chair; a presidential election.
Presidentship Pres"iˇdentˇship noun The office and dignity of president; presidency. Hooker.
Presider Preˇsid"er noun One who presides.
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