Middle English Dictionary Entry
prē̆sent(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | prē̆sent(e adj. Also presa(u)nt & (error) persaunt; pl. presentes & presentz. |
| Etymology | OF present adj. & L praesens, -entis, ppl. of praeesse. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Being with, before, or in the same place as someone or something else; in a particular place, at hand, present; (b) her ~, here present; ther (ther-at) ~, there present; togeder ~, present together; ben ~ to (with), to be with (sb.); made ~, brought to be present; (c) being in hand, under discussion or consideration; this ~ acte (bok, chapitre, writinge, etc.); this min ~ testament, this ~ min testament, my present testament, this my will; thes presentes endentures, these present indentures; (d) being in the mind or heart; ~ in remembraunce; ~ with the; (e) ~ on (to), having the mind directed to (sth.), intent upon.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)10/18 : Þet is zenne of..lozengerie huanne he hit zayþ to uore ham, oþer ualshede, oþer lyesinges, huanne he þet me spekþ of ne is naȝt present [Vices & V.(2): in þe place].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.29.15 : Ne to ȝow alone y þis couenaunt smyte..bote to alle, present & absent.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1368 : He..scholde..In al that evere he cowthe and mihte Be present in the kinges sihte, So that the king him ofte sihe.
- (1393) Will York in Sur.Soc.4185 : I will that on the day of my byrying, that ilk a pur man that es at the kyrk dor present have ane ob', when the messe es done.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)200a/a : He..seiþ þat an herbe of þe same name..makeþ a man þat is present nought be seene.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.313 : Dares..And Dytes eke..were present and seyen euerydel.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1300 : And if I do, present or in absence, For love of God, lat sle me with the dede.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.234 : Thow remembrest wel..that whan I wolde doon or seyn any thyng, thow thiselve, alwey present [L praesens] reuledest me.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)106a/b : Ȝif..trembelinge of þe herte is present & þe pulse falle, þen is folie to lete blode.
- (1438) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23224 : We charge..that this decree..opynly afore alle the convent..called thertoo and present, be redd.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1257 : Forthly the lordez of the lande..Prayes the for Petyr luffe..Sen thow arte presant in place, that thow wille profyre make To that perilous prynce.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)4595 : The contrary they mowe not say, For I myself was present.
- (c1450) Contract in OSSLH 4206 : The saide John saith that he was presente whenne the saide Robert Ellesmere and the saide William Serle..were fully accorded.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)44 : He tellith in his bok the misteriis of the Cherch of Cristis Incarnacion and Passion, as pleynly as though he had be present.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)114a/a : Greet perel..myȝte bifalle þoruȝ sich worchinge bi cause of þe present arteries, senewis, ligamentis, and cordis.
- a1500(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Dub 213)982 : He..Makes a cry þat all þe courte, knyghtez & Erelez, Suld come & be present hys precept to here.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)p.104 : From est to west hyt gaffe soo clere a lyght That of the stremis every maner wyght Astoneyed was, they weron so bryght and schene And to the eyon presawnt [Dur-U: persaunt] for to sene.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16192 : I knowe wele she that hath be so kinde to her sonne in his absence, she cann not be unkynde whenne he is present.
b
- c1390 Mirror St.Edm.(1) (Vrn)264 : He wol..putte þe in to his swete couent, Euer to beo to him present.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)9550 : Al..Behoueþ be baptysed..hyt ys þe fyrst sacrament Þat þou art to fyrst made present.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)826 : Ymeneus was not ther present.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.223 : But certes the futures that bytiden by fredom of arbitrie, God seth hem alle togidre presentz.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)107/15 : The ademand draweth not the nedle to him whils the dyamand is þere present [F present].
- (1436) EEWills105/16 : Y gif..to euery chanon beinge ther-at present viij d.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)106/32 : How many ioies be þere in þat souereigne cite of paradise, euer to be present wiþ þe ordris of aungelis?
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230a : Often tymes thai [nuns] are absent fro the qwere in tyme of dyuyne seruyce, and ofte beyng ther present, thair myndes are rathere on thair mete purveying then vpone the seruyce of God.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)14b : Aȝenst þe stake schulde þey fiȝte..as þogh it were his enemy..now lepinge out, now leping in to him, as his enemy were þere present.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10174 : Þus is man broght ofte in tourment Þorgh diuerse sightes here present.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)2 Pet.1.12 : And sotheli I wole ȝou wityng and confermid in present treuthe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.77 : Broþer Ranulf, monk of Chestre, compiled and made þis present cronicle.
- (1413) Will in Bdf.HRS 220 : In wittenessyng of wich þing to thes present my testament, I haue sette to my seell.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)166a/b : Þis present chapiter schal ben all onelye of þe forseid febil medicines & stronge medicines.
- c1425 Wycl.Concord.in Spec.43 (Roy 17.B.1)273 : I clepe alle þo wordis þat goen bi lettre aftir þe ordre of þe a, b, c in þis present table.
- (1436) Will York in Sur.Soc.3076 : Yat yai..do trewe execution of yis my presentt testament.
- (1439) RParl.5.22a : Provided alway that this present Act and Ordinance extende hem noght to the Manoir of Trematon.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)412 : Better proof be had þerof aftir in þe vije.trety of þis present book.
- (1448) Indent.Cmb.in PCmb.AS 939 : In witness whereof, bothe partyes to thies presentes indentures have putt to her seales.
- (1455) Doc.in Nicholl Ironmongers26 : To all maner people these present lettres seying or heryng.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)349/8 : And fro all maner of right and clayme therfro, they to be excluded for evermore by this present writyng.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)2/5 : For þese iij causis now rehercid, is maad þis litil present book.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)120 : Alle so hyt ys accordyd that hangyng thys presentte trety and appoyntement, noo maner of warre shalle be made by-twyne hem ande the oste of oure soverayne lorde.
- a1500(1446) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 88150 : I knowlich me to be payed and the same Edmunde to be discharged by this present wrytyng.
- -?-(1471) Will in Som.RS 16222 : In witnesse of which thinges, to this present testament I have sette my seale.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.587 : The hyhe almyhti pourveance whos eterne remembrance Fro ferst was every thing present.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5095 : Fleshly delit is so present With thee, that sette all thyn entent..For to gete and have the Rose.
e
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.80 : But on his lust present was al his thoght.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)96/3 : Now wex he absent to seculer þingis and more present to euerlasting desires.
2.
(a) Occurring now, taking place at this moment, existing at this time; current, contemporary; nere ~, near at hand, imminent; this ~ lif, earthly life; (b) gram. ~ tens, the present tense of a verb or participle.
Associated quotations
a
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)152/22 : Þe þinges þet byeþ y-pased, he hise deþ beþenche; Þe þinges þet byeþ present [Vices & V.(2): nowe], he deþ his onderstonde and to y-zy; þe þinges þet byeþ to comene, he deþ poruay and ordayny.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.3.22 : Alle thingis ben ȝoure..either thingis present [L præsentia], eithir thingis to comynge.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.9.9 : The which parable is of this present time [L temporis instantis].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2803 : Deeth is the ende of euery man as in this present lyf.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.114 : The times alle be present To god.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)121b/a : Þe tyme þat is present is ende of tyme þat is passid and biginnynge of þe tyme þat is to comynge.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3578 : He praises al thing þat es gon; O present thing [Frf: þinge þat now ys] he praisses non.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3 : The envious ordre of Fortunat meving, In worldly þing..Ne will not suffre vs in þis present lyf To lyue in reste.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.62 : Thyne ancres clyven faste, that neither wolen suffren the counfort of this tyme present ne the hope of tyme comyng to passen ne to faylen.
- (1428) Reg.Langley in Sur.Soc.169104 : Wryten atte Newe Castell upon Tyne the viij day of this present moneth of Decembre.
- (1431) Plea Sharpe in RS 28.5 pt.1 (Hrl 3775)453 : To alle the Lordys of the reme of this present Parlement, we besechyn mekely alle the comuns to ben herd of hem.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)92/20 : Þe actijf lijf trauailith himsilf in þe laboure of þis present lijf.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)6559 : He saw his dede day nere present.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)193/6 : I moste humbley requyre..that the diligent labour of wrytyngis..as well in this present dede as in hir othre dedis..that it myght be to theim agreable.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)86/33 : Whenne þou wyl gyf medicyn, wete þou yn what tokenynge þe sonne ys, and þat may þou kenne by þe moneth þat ys present.
- -?-(1459) Will in Som.RS 16192 : Such tyme as God lustith to calle you owte of this present life.
b
- a1450(a1397) WBible(2) GProl.(Cmb Mm.2.15)p.57 : A participle of a present tens, either preterit..mai be resoluid into a verbe of the same tens.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1024 : Qwerby knowyst þe present tens? For he spekyth of tyme þat is now, as amo, I loue.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1025 : How many tens be þer of participyl..Þe present tens, þe preter tens, and þe futur tens. Qwerby knowyst þe participyl of present tens? For he endyth in Englysch in -yng or in -and.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450 Peniarth Accedence(1) (Pen 356B)5/216 : How knos þu þe presentens?
- a1500 Add.37075 Accedence (Add 37075)48/193 : How know ye a participill off þe presentens?
Note: New form (in cpd.) 'presen- ' with '-t' shared with following word.