Definition of "present"

present¹

/ˈpɹɛzənt/

adjective
comparative more present, superlative most present
1. Relating to now, for the time being; current.
  Quotations
  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.
3. (obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
  Quotations
  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.
  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: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, partition 2, section 5, member 1, subsection 5
4. (obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
  Quotations
  Sign me a present pardon for my brother,
  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, [Act II, scene ii]
  An ambassador […] desires a present audience.
  1636, Philip Massinger, The Bashful Lover
5. (dated) Ready; quick in emergency.
6. (obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
  Quotations
  to find a god so present to my prayer
  1697, Virgil, “Pastoral 1”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
7. Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.
8. Attentive; alert; focused.
9. (politics) Neither for or against (used in voting to express abstention)
noun
plural presents
1. The current moment or period of time.
2. (grammar) The present tense.

present²

/ˈpɹɛzənt/

noun
plural presents
1. A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.
  Quotations
  “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. […]”
  1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter VII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
2. (military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms.
verb
third-person singular simple present presents, present participle presenting, simple past and past participle presented
1. To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.
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.
  Quotations
  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.
  Quotations
  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Job 1:6
6. (transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.
  Quotations
  So ladies in romance assist their knight, / Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
  1712 May, [Alexander Pope], “The Rape of the Locke. An Heroi-comical Poem.”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], canto
  Note: The offensive team must present a legal formation both before and after a shift.
  2020, NFL rule 7 section 4 article 7
7. (transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.
  Quotations
  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 January, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 8 January 2012, page 74
8. (transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.).
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.
11. (intransitive, medicine) To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.
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).
  Quotations
  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.).
15. (transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone).
16. (transitive) To give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow.
  Quotations
  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.
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.
  Quotations
  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

Definition of "present"

present1

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present2

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present¹

present²