# Pres

/ˈpɹɛz/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pres
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a title for a leader

adjective · CEFR B1

a short way to write the title 'President' before a person's name.

For teachers: an abbreviation for the title 'President', typically used in written form before a proper name.

- The document was signed by Pres. Lincoln in 1863.
- Historical archives often list Pres. Washington as the primary signatory on these early diplomatic correspondences.

### 2. a presentation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short word for a presentation, like a slideshow you show at work or school.

For teachers: a clipping of 'presentation', commonly used in academic or corporate environments to refer to a slide deck or talk.

- I need to finish my pres for the marketing meeting tomorrow.
- The team spent the entire afternoon refining the graphics for the client pres to ensure the data was visually compelling.

### 3. drinks before a party

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang · British English · Dialect

drinks that people have at home before they go out to a party or a club.

For teachers: a clipping of 'pre-drinks' or 'pre-games', referring to social drinking that occurs before attending a main event.

- We are having pres at my flat at eight before we head to the club.
- The students organized a quick round of pres at the dormitory to save money before heading to the expensive downtown bars.

### 4. preservation

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a short way to write 'preservation' or 'preserve', often used in labels or lists.

For teachers: an abbreviation for 'preservation' or 'preserve', typically found in technical, archival, or culinary contexts.

- The label on the old jar was marked 'fruit pres. 1994'.
- The architectural plans included a section dedicated to the pres. of the original facade to comply with local heritage laws.

## Examples

- The lawyer argued that the pres of innocence still applied.
- Under the current statute, there is a pres that the driver is responsible for any damage caused by the vehicle.
- The defense sought to challenge the statutory pres of negligence by introducing evidence of a mechanical failure that was beyond the operator's control.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.