ENGLISH
REFERENCE

in the presence of sb

prep. phr..
C1 Advanced Oxford

prep. phr.. to be in the same place as someone, especially when that person is important or powerful.

prep. phr.. situated in the immediate physical proximity of a specific person; often used to denote a formal or significant social context.


SIMPLE

I feel nervous in the presence of my boss.

CONTEXTUAL

The document must be signed in the presence of a witness to be legally valid.

COMPLEX

The young musician felt humbled to be performing in the presence of such legendary composers.

Usage

usually followed by a person or a group of people; 'sb' stands for 'somebody'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'with someone' (neutral/casual) and 'near someone' (purely spatial); 'in the presence of' implies a level of respect, formality, or impact.

Pitfall

in presence of the kingin the presence of the kingthe definite article 'the' is required before 'presence' in this fixed phrase.

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