present
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the time that is happening right now.
n.the period of time now occurring. Singular and usually preceded by the definite article.
Simple“You should focus on the present instead of worrying about the past.”
In context“Historians often struggle to remain objective, as their views are inevitably shaped by the political climate of the present.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.the form of a verb used to describe things happening now.
n.the grammatical category of tense used to express an action or state in the current time.
Simple“In English, we use the present simple to talk about habits.”
In context“The author switches from the past to the present mid-chapter to create a sense of immediate urgency for the reader.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
v.to give something to someone formally, or to show something to an audience.
v.to give, provide, or exhibit something formally. Transitive; requires a direct object.
Simple“The winner was proud when the mayor presented her with the trophy.”
In context“The research team will present their findings to the international committee during the conference in Geneva next month.”
UsageOften takes the pattern 'present something to someone' or 'present someone with something'.
PitfallHe presented to the class his project. He presented his project to the class.The direct object (the project) should usually come before the prepositional phrase (to the class).
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to formally introduce one person to another.
v.to introduce someone formally to another, especially to a person of higher rank.
Simple“May I present my colleague, Dr. Smith?”
In context“It was a long-standing tradition for young debutantes to be presented to the monarch during the summer season.”
Synonyms - 05 A2 Elementary
adj.being in a particular place at a particular time.
adj.being in a specified place; not absent. Predicative or postpositive.
Simple“There were over two hundred people present at the wedding.”
In context“Every member of the board was present for the vote, ensuring that the final decision was legally binding.”
UsageWhen it means 'being here', it usually comes after the noun (e.g., 'the people present').
- 06 A2 Elementary
adj.happening or existing at this time.
adj.existing or occurring now. Attributive; placed before the noun.
Simple“The present owner of the house has lived here for twenty years.”
In context“Under the present circumstances, it would be unwise to invest all of our capital into a single emerging market.”
UsageIn this sense, the adjective always comes before the noun.
Usage present day · present themselves · presenting the body
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”).
From Middle English presenten, from Old French presenter, from Latin praesentāre (“to show”), from praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“be in front of”).
From presend + -t
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.