PRESENT


Meaning of PRESENT in English

I. EXISTING OR HAPPENING NOW

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.

You use ~ to describe things and people that exist now, rather than those that existed in the past or those that may exist in the future.

He has brought much of the ~ crisis on himself...

It has been skilfully renovated by the ~ owners...

No statement can be made at the ~ time.

= current

ADJ: ADJ n

2.

The ~ is the period of time that we are in now and the things that are happening now.

...his struggle to reconcile the past with the ~.

...continuing right up to the ~...

Then her thoughts would switch to the ~.

N-SING: the N

3.

In grammar, the ~ tenses of a verb are the ones that are used to talk about things that happen regularly or situations that exist at this time. The simple ~ tense uses the base form or the ‘s’ form of a verb, as in ‘I play tennis twice a week’ and ‘He works in a bank’.

ADJ: ADJ n

4.

A situation that exists at ~ exists now, although it may change.

There is no way at ~ of predicting which individuals will develop the disease...

At ~ children under 14 are not permitted in bars.

PHRASE: PHR with cl/group

5.

The ~ day is the period of history that we are in now.

...Western European art from the period of Giotto to the ~ day.

= today

PHRASE: prep PHR

6.

Something that exists or will be done for the ~ exists now or will continue for a while, although the situation may change later.

The ministers had expressed the unanimous view that sanctions should remain in place for the ~.

PHRASE: PHR with cl

II. BEING SOMEWHERE

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.

If someone is ~ at an event, they are there.

The president was not ~ at the meeting...

Nearly 85 per cent of men are ~ at the birth of their children...

The whole family was ~.

? absent

ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft ADJ at n

2.

If something, especially a substance or disease, is ~ in something else, it exists within that thing.

This special form of vitamin D is naturally ~ in breast milk...

? absent

ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft ADJ in n

III. GIFT

(~s)

A ~ is something that you give to someone, for example at Christmas or when you visit them.

The carpet was a wedding ~ from the Prime Minister...

I bought a birthday ~ for my mother...

This book would make a great Christmas ~.

= gift

N-COUNT

IV. VERB USES

(~s, ~ing, ~ed)

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.

1.

If you ~ someone with something such as a prize or document, or if you ~ it to them, you formally give it to them.

The mayor ~ed him with a gold medal at an official city reception...

Prince Michael of Kent ~ed the prizes...

The group intended to ~ this petition to the parliament.

VERB: V n with n, V n, V n to n

~ation

Then came the ~ation of the awards by the Queen Mother.

N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n

2.

If something ~s a difficulty, challenge, or opportunity, it causes it or provides it.

This ~s a problem for many financial consumers...

Public policy on the family ~s liberals with a dilemma.

VERB: V n, V n with n

3.

If an opportunity or problem ~s itself, it occurs, often when you do not expect it.

Their colleagues insulted them whenever the opportunity ~ed itself...

VERB: V pron-refl

4.

When you ~ information, you give it to people in a formal way.

We spend the time collating and ~ing the information in a variety of chart forms...

We ~ed three options to the unions for discussion...

In effect, Parsons ~s us with a beguilingly simple outline of social evolution.

VERB: V n, V n to n, V n with n

~ation (~ations)

...a fair ~ation of the facts to a jury...

N-VAR: oft N of n

5.

If you ~ someone or something in a particular way, you describe them in that way.

The government has ~ed these changes as major reforms...

In Europe, Aga Khan III ~ed himself in a completely different light.

VERB: V n as n, V n in n

6.

The way you ~ yourself is the way you speak and act when meeting new people.

...all those tricks which would help him to ~ himself in a more confident way in public.

VERB: V pron-refl prep/adv

7.

If someone or something ~s a particular appearance or image, that is how they appear or try to appear.

The small group of onlookers ~ed a pathetic sight...

In ~ing a more professional image the party risks losing its individuality.

...~ing a calm and dignified face to the world at large.

VERB: V n, V n, V n to n

8.

If you ~ yourself somewhere, you officially arrive there, for example for an appointment.

She was told to ~ herself at the Town Hall at 11.30 for the induction ceremony...

VERB: V pron-refl prep/adv

9.

If someone ~s a programme on television or radio, they introduce each item in it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use host , introduce )

She ~s a monthly magazine programme on the BBC.

VERB: V n

10.

When someone ~s something such as a production of a play or an exhibition, they organize it.

The Lyric Theatre is ~ing a new production of ‘Over the Bridge’.

VERB: V n

11.

If you ~ someone to someone else, often an important person, you formally introduce them.

Fox stepped forward, welcomed him in Malay, and ~ed him to Jack...

Allow me to ~ my wife’s cousin, Mr Zachary Colenso.

= introduce

VERB: V n to n, V n

12.

see also ~ation

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .