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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Present, adj. and adv. Also: -entt, -ente; -ant; -and; præsent; prisint, -ent; also preisent; persand; plur. presentis, also -es, -ez, -z. [ME and e.m.E. present (a 1300), -ente (c 1450), prissent (1566), adj., also adv. (c 1381), OF present (11th c. in Littré; mod. F. présent), L. præsens, præsent- present, prompt, pres. p. of præ-esse to be at hand. Cf. Present,n.²]In sense 3 (and, rarely, sense 1) also with plural inflection.

A. adj.

1. predic. (That is) in the place specified or appointed; (that is) here or there. b. (That is) with, beside or in the presence of the person in question.Present in jugement, present at the hearing in court.(1) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I 138*.
Nane beand present bot we thre before nemnyt 1398–9 Acts I 210/2. 1443 Ayr Chart. 28. 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I 173. 1492 Reg. Episc. Morav. 249.
Or ane present and ane wthir absent of the parteis 1492 Acta Conc. I 249/2. 1525 Misc. Bann. C. III 110.
Presente 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 732.
Wald God thay war present! 1540 Edinb. Chart. 212.
All the saidis partyis being personaly present 1542 Acts II 424*/1. 1574 Edinb. Kirk S. 1 July.
The brethering of the last kirk to compeir … & gif thair jugement … to the particular kirk present gif [etc.] 1590 Black Bk. Taymouth 303.
The laird and ladie present … with sindrie uther cumeris and gangeris 1622-6 Bisset II 63/3.
That na contract … be ressaved … without the iudge be present 1632 Cullen B. Rec. MS 15 April.
The haill counsall & court present … in tak lattis [etc.](b) 1604 Dundee Shipping P. 79.
Presand(c) 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. in Prot. Bk. M. Carruthers 9.
Jon Haliday … persand for the tyme, sworn in jugement, deponit [etc.](2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1460.
The bischape … That with the puple present was c1420 Wynt. vii 33, etc.
This lord that tyme wes noucht present In to the court, bot wes absent [etc.] c1475 Wall. xi 1316.
A blyst byschop sone, present in that place 1496 Acta Conc. II 5.
Because thai war nocht present to this actioune c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii 85.
All present wer in twynkling of ane e … befoir the quene 1513 Doug. xi ii 7. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 373.
He euer is with ws present in the spreit a1578 Pitsc. II 73/20.
Presentt c1590 J. Stewart 267 § 5.
This churle … Vas present than to hir mishap a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 25.(b) 1562-3 Winȝet I 84/9.
Præsentplur. 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 1.
Presentis thairat … Johne Forgushill … and Symont Wallace … diacones(3) 1490 Irland Mir. I 33/2.
The tyme that the blist body of Jhesu is present thar 1551 Hamilton Cat. 133. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 128/9. 1562-3 Winȝet I 86/24.
Thai call the sensible signis of that sacrament a … signe of the thingis præsent inuisibile Ib. 85/25.(4) c 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 20.
Till haue a suffysand man and ane abell present 1459 Liber Aberbr. II 111.
Becaus I had na sele off myn awn present I have procuryt … the signet of … magister Thomas Dekysoun 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 178.
A man can sell nathing out of his pak Bot as he hes than present for the tyme(5) 1581 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 145.
Andro McBrome clamit Andro Roane present in jugement fyve lastis of twme blawin treis

c. In present place, in that very place, on that spot. — 1456 Hay I 127/29.
That the vassall is behaldin to defend his lordis persone, and he be in present place quhare men wald do him suppris Ib. II 42/8.
And thare in present place suld thare be maid a faire sermone 1545 Chart. Coupar A. II 197.
Our … bailȝe … to give saysing … as we war thair in present place our selffis

2. Being before or in (intyll, into) the mind or thought. c1420 Ratis R. 71.
Thai thre termes ar ay present Intyll his rychtwys jugment c1500-c1512 Dunb. xc 12.
With all thi synnes into thi mynde present

3. attrib. Applied, with the demonstr. this (sing. and pl.) or thir, to a document or other writing: (This) same; the (one) in hand.For further examples, see Letter n. 7.sing. (1) 1398 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 5/21.
Till this present letter I haf set my scyll 1400 Ib. No. 7/3.
Throu this my present charter c1400 Troy-bk. ii 138.
As folowyng of thys storye Present declare sall sone clerly 1402 Reg. Panmure II 183.
This present chartir 1431 Buccleuch Mun. II 29.
Thys present letter off wetnes 1457 Reg. Dunferm. 344.
Be this present vryt 1526–7 Edinb. B. Rec. I 230.
Be this present acquittans 1533 Boece 596.
At writting of this present estorye 1539–40 Reg. Privy S. II 511/2.
This present tak and assedatioun of the kirkland 1559 Peebles B. Rec. I 254. 1561 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 344.
This present rentall c1590 Fowler II 9/11.
I presume to dedicat this present treatise … vnto ȝour lordschip 1677 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 101.(2) 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I 139*.
Theis present lettrys 1393 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 27.
Be it knawyn … thrw this present lettres [etc.] 1395 Menzies Charters MS 10 Feb.
Thyr present letteris 1420 (1429–30) Reg. Great S. 30/1.
Be thir present indenturis 1454 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 335.
In witnes of the qwylkis I haf appensit my seill to thir my present lettrez of assedacion 1505 Misc. Spald. C. V 35.
Ande be this present actis, licencis and lewis thar … clerk [etc.](b) 1509 Douglas Chart. 192.
Presandplur. 1400 Maxwell Mem. 139.
To thir presentis letters 1408 Mar & Kellie MSS.
Be it knawyn tyl al men be thir presentes lettres [etc.] 1412 Buccleuch Mun. II 22.
This presentis lettris 1428 Liber Melros II 519.
Ther presentz lettris 1429 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. ii 2. 1437 Stirlings of Keir 214.
Thir oure presentez lettres 1492 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.) No. 26.
Thir presentis lettres

4. Of money: In hand, immediately available, ‘ready’. 1637 Edgar Old Church Life 1 Ser. 317.
[The Kirk Session of Galston were sorely in need of] present moneyie 1695 Cullen Kirk S. 13 Jan.
And that it be not given out without present money laid down

5. Existing, occurring, or fulfilling a particular function, at the time of speaking or writing; of this, also that, present time or moment; in existence; current; actual.Freq. applied to the current holder of a title, office, etc.attrib. (chiefly) and predic.attrib. (1) c 1400 Wemyss Chart. 37.
The s[ai]d Schir Jone sal gif … lettris to present suytouris 1481 Grey Friars II 129.
Tyll thair soyn, Erylle Wylyam present 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1308.
We think … Ȝour present sone war abill for to die 1572–3 Reg. Privy C. II 181.
The instructioun … of his majestie … under … his present pedagogis 1608 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III 112.
Him wha is present governour of hir [sc. the galley] 1612 Prot. Bk. W. Leslie 5/22.
Prisent patron of the said prebendrie 1627 Orkney Rentals App. 104.
Be the bischopes present and to cum 1630 Conv. Burghs III 323.
The present commissioneris 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS. III xcvii.
The present and succeeding generations in this land 1642 Edinb. Test. LX 137 b.
Presente deacone of the hammermen 1645 St. A. Baxter Bks. 116.
William Lewingstone, present positour 1657 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 167. 1657 Peebles B. Rec. II 40.
The present magistrattes … to meit with the Laird of Prestoungrainge(2) 1449 Acts II 35/2.
In this present parliament a1500 Henr. Fab. 1865 (C).
Greit fule is he that hes na thyng in thocht Bot thing present 1525 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 141.
How lang I haiff ane penny in the wardll lous or fast, present or for to cum 1551 Hamilton Cat. 263.
Sa lang as we leif in this present warld [etc.] 1555 Glenartney Doc.
Be ressoun of this present greit storme 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. III 12. 1570 Leslie 87.
The present invasioun quhilk he [Henry VIII] maid upoun [etc.] 1576 Edinb. Test. V 13.
This my present infirmitie a1578 Pitsc. I 31/9. 1588 King Cat. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 204/25.
The præsent reformation is … derect to seke ane end, quhilk all gowd Catholikis do imbrace 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 423. 1615 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III 256.
That ȝour lo. hawe sume compation on my presentt affaire 1627 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 126.
The said judge … hes condamnit William Turner in 6/8 for his present absence 1639 Johnston Diary I a 68.(b) 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 26.
Depureset at Bordex the same prisint veag [= voyage](3) 1513 Doug. v xi 107.
Thame haldis Forto abyd within that present land 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 339.
Lewell with the present flatt entering to the tolbuith doir 1633 Banff Ann. II 169.
The chamber wnder the present schoolhouse(4) a1400 Leg. S. vi 457.
This present lyfe Is ay in vrechitnese & stryfe 1490 Irland Mir. I 44/7.
In this present mortale liffin 1511–2 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 14.
This present dayes a1538 Abell 84 b.
In that present tyme 1567–8 Reg. Privy C. I 611.
During the tyme of this present Lenterne 1592 Acts III 619/1.
His [James VI's] said … grandschir deceissit frome this present lyff in the feild of Flowdoune 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX 572.
All of thameselffis [are] worthy to be imparted to the aige present and posteritie(b) 1636 Kelso Glovers 5.
In this preisent year of God(c) 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 10.
Since our last closet acoump to thes prisint deypredic. a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 1626.
For quhy to Him all thing is ay present Rycht as it is or ony tyme sall be 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 855.
Lady Cleo, quhilk craftelie dois set Historyis auld like as thay war present 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 78.
Of my ald lord and of my lord that ys presant this day c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5610.
That terrabyll trumpat … doith knell As instantlye it wer present 1567 G. Ball. 33.
The paine, that is now present, schort and licht … sall wirk eternall gloir

Passing into b. adv. At present; currently. Cf. B below. c1515 Asl. MS. I 193/23.
Our souerane lord that ryngis now present 1663 Old Ross-shire II 78.
The present imposit stent

6. attrib. Instant, immediate. 1589 Bk. Carlaverock I 283.
We have taken present purpose to passe to Norroway our selfe 1658 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 134.
[The schoolmaster] … cannot gett lived if some present course be not taken 1661 Black Sc. Witches 34.
James Clark his chyld … took present seiknes and raged to death befor twelfe a cloke

7. Applied to the tense of verbs. Also ellipt. c1505-8 Donatus 1 a.
Present tyme of participil 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 162/10.
Thir wordis ar spokkin in the present tyme c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 127. —ellipt. 1531 Vaus (1531) 1.
Twa participilis … ane of the present & preterit imperfect tyme

B. adv. (Almost) immediately; shortly. Cf. 5 b above. c1590 J. Stewart 11/13.
That heauen, and erth, and hell, and all may heir This pert pelmell, quhilk present sall appeir