KJV Dictionary Definition: present

present

PRES'ENT, a. s as z. L. proesens; proe and sum, esse, to be.

1. Being in a certain place; opposed to absent.

2. Being before the face or near; being in company. Inquire of some of the gentlemen present.

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. John 14.

3. Being now in view or under consideration. In the present instance, facts will not warrant the conclusion. The present question must be decided on different principles.

4. Now existing, or being at this time; not past or future; as the present session of congress. The court is in session at the present time. We say, a present good,the present year or age.

5. Ready at hand; quick in emergency; as present wit.

'Tis a high point of philosophy and virtue for a man to be present to himself.

6. Favorably attentive; not heedless; propitious.

Nor could I hope in any place but there

To find a god so present to my prayer.

7. Not absent of mind; not abstracted; attentive.

The present, an elliptical expression for the present time.

At present, elliptically for, at the present time.

Present tense, in grammar, the tense or form of a verb which expresses action or being in the present time, as I am writing; or something that exists at all times, as virtue is always to be preferred to vice; or it expresses habits or general truths, as plants spring from the earth; fishes swim; reptiles creep; birds fly; some animals subsist on herbage, others are carnivorous.

PRES'ENT, n. That which is presented or given; a gift; a donative; something given or offered to another gratuitously; a word of general application. Gen.32.

Presents' in the plural, is used in law for 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 presentes. In this sense, it is rarely used in the singular.

presentable

PRESENT'ABLE, a. That may be presented; that may be exhibited or represented.

1. That may be offered to a church living; as a presentable clerk.

2. That admits of the presentation of a clerk; as a church presentable. Unusual.

presentation

PRESENTA'TION, n. The act of presenting.

Prayers are sometimes a presentation of mere desires.

1. Exhibition; representation; display; as the presentation of fighting on the stage.

2. In ecclesiastical law, the act of offering a clerk to the bishop or ordinary for institution in a benefice. An advowson is he right of presentation.

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

3. The right of presenting a clerk. The patron has the presentation of the benefice.

presentative

PRESENT'ATIVE, a. In ecclesiastical affairs, that has the right of presentation, or offering a clerk to the bishop for institution. Advowsons are presentative, collative or donative.

An advowson presentative is where the patron hath a right of presentation to the bishop or ordinary.

1. That admits the presentation of a clerk; as a presentative parsonage.

presented

PRESENT'ED, pp. Offered; given; exhibited to view; accused.

presenter

PRESENT'ER, n. One that presents.

presently

PRES'ENTLY, adv. s as z. At present; at this time.

The towns and forts you presently have.

1. In a short time after; soon after.

Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. Phil.2.

And presently the fig-tree withered away. Matt.21.

presentment

PRESENT'MENT, n. s as z. The act of presenting.

1. Appearance to the view; representation.

2. In law, a presentment, properly speaking, is the notice taken by a grand jury of any offense from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them at the suit of the king; as the presentment of a nuisance, a libel or the like, on which the officer of the court must afterwards frame an indictment, before the party presented can be put to answer it.

3. In a more general sense, presentment comprehends inquisitions of office and indictments.

In the United States, a presentment is an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment; or it is the act of offering an indictment. It is also used for the indictment itself. The grand jury are charged to inquire and due presentment make of all crimes, &c. The use of the word is limited to accusations by grand jurors.

4. The official notice in court which the jury or homage gives of the surrender of a copyhold estate.

presentness

PRES'ENTNESS, n. s as z. Presence; as presentness of mind. Not used.