Definition of "present"

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

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

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

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, […]

“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

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

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

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

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

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

My last, least offering, I present thee now.

1801, William Cowper, The Vicissitudes Experienced in the Christian Life

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