Present Meaning
/ˈpɹɛz.ənt/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjRelating to now, for the time being; current.
adjLocated in the immediate vicinity.
Sentence Examples
I would like to give him a present for his birthday.
You shall have a nice present.
I am not satisfied with the present situation.
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the conference, the scientist will ____ her new research findings.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The teacher asked each student to ____ their project to the class in a five-minute talk.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"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: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, 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, →OCLC, [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, […], →OCLC:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the conference, the scientist will ____ her new research findings.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The teacher asked each student to ____ their project to the class in a five-minute talk.