present English · revision 2558

+ ''Present'', “here, now”, and ''present'', “to give; a gift”, both go back to Latin ''praesēns'', but they came into English by different routes.^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: adjective and noun /ˈprez.ənt/; verb /prɪˈzent/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|here; now}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1303 (Mannyng)|origins=la praeesse}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective is [[inh|enm|present]], [[bor|fro|present|t=evident, at hand]] (modern [[m|fr|présent]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) and directly from [[la|praesēns|t=present, at hand; immediate, prompt]] (accusative [[m|la|praesentem]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the present participle of [[m|la|praeesse|t=to be before, be at hand]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) formed from [[m|la|prae-|t=before]] and [[m|la|esse|t=to be]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Etymonline traces ''esse'' to [[ine-pro|*es-|t=to be]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) The noun “the present time” is from Old French [[m|fro|present]], from the adjective.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) It is related to [[presence]] and [[absent]].^(Cresswell 2021)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Being in the same place as someone: about 1303, in Mannyng's ''Handlyng Synne'',^(Barnhart 1988) or 1340 in the OED;^(OED 1989) Etymonline dates it to about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Existing at the time” is from the early 14th century.^(Etymonline) The noun meant presence, as in the phrase ''in present'', from 1303,^(OED 1989) and the present time, as opposed to past and future, from about 1300.^(Etymonline) “Abiding in a specified place” is from the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline) “Being dealt with or considered”, as in ''the present case'', is from 1382.^(OED 1989) The present tense in grammar is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) In old legal language, ''these presents'' means “the documents in hand”, from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) “Ready at hand, immediately available” is from 1539.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – in the same place; noun, the present time.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – existing now.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1382 – under consideration.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – the present tense, and ''these presents''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1539 – ready at hand.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Existing or happening now; current.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Being here or in attendance.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Existing in something: ''iron is present in the soil''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Now being considered: ''the present case''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Of a tense expressing current time.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The time now passing; now.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(grammar)'' The present tense.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(these presents)'' ''(law)'' The document in question.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presently]]

+ * [[presence]]

+ * [[omnipresent]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|give; gift}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1225 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=la praeesse}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun “gift” is [[inh|enm|present]], [[bor|fro|present]], from the phrases [[m|fro|en present|t=in the presence of]] and [[m|fro|mettre en present|t=to place before, give]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from Late Latin [[m|la-lat|in praesentī|t=face to face]], ultimately Latin [[m|la|in rē praesentī|t=in the situation in question]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The verb is [[inh|enm|presenten]], [[bor|fro|presenter|t=to bring before, give]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|praesentāre|t=to place before, show, exhibit]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) from the stem of [[m|la|praesēns]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[presentation]] and [[represent]].^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A thing offered as a gift: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988) or before 1225;^(OED 1989) Etymonline gives about 1200.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to bring into someone's presence, introduce formally”, is from about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb also meant “to give as a gift or award” from about 1300.^(Etymonline) “To exhibit, offer for inspection” is from the late 14th century, as is the legal sense “to make a formal charge”.^(Etymonline) “To represent, portray” is from about 1400.^(Etymonline) ''Present arms'', “to hold a firearm upright in front of the body”, is by 1759,^(Etymonline) and the military noun ''present'', the position of a firearm when aimed, from the 19th century.^(SOED 2002) To introduce a young woman at court, or a programme to the public, are later senses.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – noun, a gift (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – verb, to introduce; to give.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – verb, to exhibit; to charge formally.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – verb, to portray.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1759 – ''present arms''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To give as a gift or award; to give to.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To introduce formally.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To bring before the public; to host a broadcast.^(AHD)

+ # To offer for consideration; to show or display.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To aim or point a weapon.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something presented; a [[gift]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[presenter]]

+ * [[presentable]]

+ * [[presentation]]

+ * [[representative]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[absent]]

+ * [[essence]]

+ * [[represent]]

+ * [[presentiment]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}