# presents

/ˈpɹɛzənts/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/presents
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. gifts

noun · CEFR A1

more than one gift given to someone to show friendship or celebrate an event.

For teachers: the plural form of 'present' in the sense of a gift or donation.

- The children were excited to open their birthday presents after the party.
- The charity received numerous presents during the holiday season, which were later distributed to families in need throughout the local community.

### 3. legal document contents

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a formal word used in legal papers to mean 'this document'.

For teachers: the contents of the present document; used in formal legal instruments to refer to the document itself.

- The contract stated that by these presents, the agreement was now official.
- Know all men by these presents that the undersigned does hereby grant full power of attorney to the designated representative.

Usage: Always used with 'these', as in 'by these presents'.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized legal term. Students will likely only see it in contracts or historical legal texts.

## Examples

- She received many presents for her birthday.
- The children were excited to open their presents on Christmas morning.
- While the exchange of presents is a central tradition of the holiday, the true value lies in the communal spirit and the strengthening of family bonds.

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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.