present

Etymology 1

From Middle English present, from Old French present, from Latin praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“to be present”), from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + esse (“to be”).

adj

1. 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.
   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. B. Maxwell, chapter 12, in The Mirror and the Lamp
2. Located in the immediate vicinity.
   Is there a doctor present?  Several people were present when the event took place.
3. (obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
4. (obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
   An ambassador[…]desires a present audience. 1636, Philip Massinger, The Bashful Lover
5. (dated) Ready; quick in emergency.
   a present wit
6. (obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
7. Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.
   in the present study,  the present article,  the present results.
8. Attentive; alert; focused.
   Sorry, I was distracted just now, I'll try to be more present from now on.
9. (politics) Neither for or against (used in voting to express abstention)

noun

1. The current moment or period of time.
2. (grammar) The present tense.

Etymology 2

From Middle English presenten, from Old French presenter, from Latin praesentāre (“to show”), from praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“be in front of”).

noun

1. A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.
2. (military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms.
   to stand at present

verb

1. To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.
   to present an envoy to the king
2. (transitive) To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.
3. (transitive) To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration.
4. (transitive, now rare) To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court.
   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, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society, published 2012, page 71
5. (reflexive) To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally.
6. (transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.
   Note: The offensive team must present a legal formation both before and after a shift. 2020, NFL rule 7 section 4 article 7https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-video-rulebook/illegal-shift/
7. (transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.
   I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a way as may interest the reader. 1927, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes
   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. 2012-01, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 2012-01-08, page 74
8. (transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.).
   The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.
9. (transitive, military) To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire.
10. (reflexive) To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind.
    Well, one idea does present itself.
11. (intransitive, medicine) To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.
    The patient presented with insomnia.
12. (intransitive, medicine) To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth.
13. (intransitive, with "as") To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).
    At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.
    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
14. (transitive) To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.).
    Anne Robinson presents "The Weakest Link".
15. (transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone).
    She was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.
16. (transitive) To give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow.
    My last, least offering, I present thee now. 1801, William Cowper, The Vicissitudes Experienced in the Christian Life
17. (transitive) To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer.
    I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.
18. (transitive) To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid.
19. (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.
20. (fandom slang) In omegaverse fiction, to have one's secondary sex (alpha, omega, or beta) become apparent, typically at puberty.
    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
    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
    Dean’s strong build and height come closer to the stereotypical build of an Alpha than to an Omega, which caused the huge disappointment for his father, who expected him to present as an Alpha. 2020, Julia Elena Goldmann, “How to Write House… Mpreg Fan Fiction and Concepts of Bodies, Gender and Family”, in Eva Hausbacher, Liesa Herbst, Julia Ostwald, Martina Thiele, editors, geschlecht_transkulturell: Aktuelle Forschungsperspektiven, page 262