Part 505

5. Hence: To endow; to bestow a gift upon; to favor, as with a donation; also, to court by gifts.

Octavia presented the poet for him admirable elegy on her son Marcellus.

Dryden.

6. To present; to personate. [Obs.] Shak.

7. In specific uses; (a) To nominate to an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.

The patron of a church may present his clerk to a parsonage or vicarage; that is, may offer him to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted.

Blackstone.

(b) To nominate for support at a public school or other institution . Lamb. (c) To lay before a public body, or an official, for consideration, as before a legislature, a court of judicature, a corporation, etc.; as, to present a memorial, petition, remonstrance, or indictment. (d) To lay before a court as an object of inquiry; to give notice officially of, as a crime of offence; to find or represent judicially; as, a grand jury present certain offenses or nuisances, or whatever they think to be public injuries. (e) To bring an indictment against . [U.S] (f) To aim, point, or direct, as a weapon; as, to present a pistol or the point of a sword to the breast of another.

Pesent arms (Mil.), the command in response to which the gun is carried perpendicularly in front of the center of the body, and held there with the left hand grasping it at the lower band, and the right hand grasping the small of the stock, in token of respect, as in saluting a superior officer; also, the position taken at such a command.

Pre*sent", v. i. (Med.) To appear at the mouth of the uterus so as to be perceptible to the finger in vaginal examination; -- said of a part of an infant during labor.

Pres"ent (?), n. [F. prÈsent .] Anything presented or given; a gift; a donative; as, a Christmas present.

Syn. -- Gift; donation; donative; benefaction. See Gift.

Pre*sent" (?), n. (Mil.) The position of a soldier in presenting arms; as, to stand at present.

Pre*sent"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. prÈsentable.] 1. Capable or admitting of being presented; suitable to be exhibited, represented, or offered; fit to be brought forward or set forth; hence, fitted to be introduced to another, or to go into society; as, ideas that are presentable in simple language; she is not presentable in such a gown.

2. Admitting of the presentation of a clergiman; as, a church presentable. [R.] Ayliffe.

Pres`en*ta"ne*ous (?), a. [L. praesentaneus. See Present, a.] Ready; quick; immediate in effect; as, presentaneous poison. [Obs.] Harvey.

Pres`en*ta"tion (?), n. [L. praesentatio a showing, representation: cf. F. prÈsentation.] 1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; a setting forth; an offering; bestowal.

Prayers are sometimes a presentation of mere desires.

Hooker.

2. Hence, exhibition; representation; display; appearance; semblance; show.

Under the presentation of the shoots his wit.

Shak.

3. That which is presented or given; a present; a gift, as, the picture was a presentation. [R.]

4. (Eccl.) The act of offering a clergyman to the bishop or ordinary for institution in a benefice; the right of presenting a clergyman.

If the bishop admits the patron's presentation, the clerk so admitted is next to be instituted by him.

Blackstone.

5. (Med.) The particular position of the child during labor relatively to the passage though which it is to be brought forth; -- specifically designated by the part which first appears at the mouth of the uterus; as, a breech presentation.

Presentation copy, a copy of a book, engraving, etc., presented to some one by the author or artist, as a token of regard.