American Heritage Dictionary Entry: present HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key. Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window. guide to the dictionary THE USAGE PANEL The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions. The Panelists NEED HELP SOLVING A CROSSWORD PUZZLE? Go to our Crossword Puzzle Solver and type in the letters that you know, and the Solver will produce a list of possible solutions. -- AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android. THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more. OPEN DICTIONARY PROJECT Share your ideas for new words and new meanings of old words! Start Sharing Now! -- See word lists from the best-selling 100 Words Series! Find out more! INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES? Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com pres·ent 1 (prĕzənt) Share: Tweet n. 1. A moment or period in time perceptible as intermediate between past and future; now. 2. Grammar a. The present tense. b. A verb form in the present tense. 3. presents Law The document or instrument in question: Be it known by these presents. adj. 1. Existing or happening now; current: the present leader; present trends. 2. a. Being at hand or in attendance: Thirty guests were present at the ceremony. b. Existing in something specified: Oxygen is present in the bloodstream. 3. Now being considered; actually here or involved: the present subject; present company excepted. 4. Grammar Designating a verb tense or form that expresses current time. 5. Archaic Readily available; immediate. 6. Obsolete Alert to circumstances; attentive.Idioms: at present At the present time; right now. for the present For the time being; temporarily. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praesēns, praesent-, present participle of praeesse, to be present : prae-, pre- + esse, to be; see es- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] present·ness n. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. pre·sent 2 (prĭ-zĕnt) Share: Tweet v. pre·sent·ed, pre·sent·ing, pre·sents v.tr. 1. a. To make a gift or award of: presented the medal to the winner. b. To make a gift to: presented the winner with a medal. 2. a. To offer for observation, examination, or consideration; show or display: The detective presented his badge. b. To offer (a play, for example) for public entertainment. c. To afford or furnish: The situation presented us with a chance to improve our knowledge. d. To turn or position in the direction of another: presented his face to the camera. e. Immunology To display (an antigen) on the cell surface. Used especially of cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells, where the displayed antigen activates T cells as part of an immune response. 3. To represent or depict in a certain manner: The movie presents bankers as greedy and coldhearted. 4. a. To introduce, especially with formal ceremony. b. To introduce (a young woman) to society with conventional ceremony. 5. To hold, carry, or point (a weapon) in a particular manner as a salutation or sign of honor, usually along the center axis of the body. 6. Ecclesiastical To recommend (a cleric) for a benefice. v.intr. 1. To make a presentation. 2. Medicine a. To be evident or manifest. Used of a disease or condition: how Lyme disease presents in its later stages. b. To exhibit symptoms or signs during a medical examination: The patient presented with headache and heel pain. n. 1. pres·ent (prĕzənt) Something presented; a gift. 2. pre·sent (prĭ-zĕnt) The position of a rifle or other weapon when presented. [Middle English presenten, from Old French presenter, from Latin presentāre, to show, from praesēns, praesent-, present participle of praeesse, to be in front of; see PRESENT1.] pre·senter n. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved. Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices: Indo-European Roots Semitic Roots The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots. 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