different between countenance vs present

English

Alternative forms

• countenaunce (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English contenaunce, countenaunce, from Anglo-Norman countenance and Old French contenance, from the present participle of contenir, or from Late Latin continentia, and therefore a doublet of continence.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?ka?n.t?.n?ns/, /?ka?n.t?n.?ns/, /?ka?nt.n?ns/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): [k??æ??.???.n?ns]

Noun

countenance (countable and uncountable, plural countenances)

1. Appearance, especially the features and expression of the face.
   • , Genesis 4:5

     But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
2. Favour; support; encouragement.
   • September 8, 1706, Francis Atterbury, a sermon

     This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice.

3. (obsolete) Superficial appearance; show; pretense.
   • c. 1570, Roger Ascham, The Scholemaster

     The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat.

4. Calm facial expression, composure, self-control.

Synonyms

• see also Thesaurus:countenance

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

countenance (third-person singular simple present countenances, present participle countenancing, simple past and past participle countenanced)

1. (transitive) To tolerate, support, sanction, patronise or approve of something.

   The cruel punishment was countenanced by the government, although it was not officially legal.

   • 1937, Willa Muir and Edwin Muir (translators), The Trial, (Der Prozess 1925, Franz Kafka), Vintage Books (London), pg. 99

     For the Defence was not actually countenanced by the Law, but only tolerated, and there were differences of opinion even on that point, whether the Law could be interpreted to admit such tolerances at all.

Synonyms

• (tolerate, support): approve, sanction, support, tolerate

Translations

References

• countenance in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• countenance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Old French

Alternative forms

• contenance
• contennaunce
• continance

Etymology

From contenant, the present participle of contenir, with the suffix -ance, corresponding to Late Latin continentia. See also continence.

Noun

countenance f (oblique plural countenances, nominative singular countenance, nominative plural countenances)

1. (Anglo-Norman) appearance; countenance
   • e moustre par contenance q'il ad honte de ceo q'il ad fet

     And he showed by his appearance that he was ashamed of what he had done.

Related terms

• contenant
• contenir

Descendants

• English: countenance
• French: contenance

References

• contenance on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

English

Alternative forms

• præsent (archaic or pedantic)
• (abbreviation, grammar): ps.

Pronunciation

• (adjective, noun)
  • enPR: pr?z??nt, IPA^(key): /?p??z?nt/
  • Hyphenation: pres?ent
  • Rhymes: -?z?nt
• (verb)
  • enPR: pr?z?nt', IPA^(key): /p???z?nt/
  • (Canada) IPA^(key): /p???z?nt/
  • ,
  • Rhymes: -?nt

Etymology 1

From Middle English present, from Old French present, from Latin praesent-, praesens present participle of praeesse (“to be present”), from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + esse (“to be”).

Adjective

present (comparative more present, superlative most present)

1. Relating to now, for the time being; current.

   Up to the present day.
2. Located in the immediate vicinity.

3. (obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting. [16th-18th c.]

   • Among?t this number of Cordials and Alteratiues, J doe not find a more pre?ent remedy, then a cup of wine, or ?trong drinke, and if it be ?oberly and opportunely v?ed.

4. (obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
   • 1636, Philip Massinger, The Bashful Lover

     An ambassador […] desires a present audience.

5. (dated) Ready; quick in emergency.

6. (obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.

   • to find a god so present to my prayer

7. Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.

8. Attentive; alert; focused.

Synonyms

• (relating to now): current; see also Thesaurus:present
• (in vicinity): close, nearby; see also Thesaurus:near
• (having an immediate effect): presentaneous
• (not delayed): instantaneous; see also Thesaurus:instantaneous
• (attentive): audient, heedful, reckful

Antonyms

• (relating to now): future, past
• (in vicinity): absent
• (having an immediate effect): slow-acting
• (not delayed): delayed; see also Thesaurus:delayed
• (attentive): distracted, inattentive

Derived terms

Related terms

• presence

Translations

Noun

present (plural presents)

1. The current moment or period of time.
2. The present tense.

Synonyms

• (current time): now; see also Thesaurus:the present

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English presenten, from Old French presenter, from Latin praesent?re (“to show”), from praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“be in front of”).

Noun

present (plural presents)

1. A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.
2. (military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms.

Descendants

• ? Japanese: ????? (purezento)

Translations

Verb

present (third-person singular simple present presents, present participle presenting, simple past and past participle presented)

1. To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally. [from 14th c.]

   to present an envoy to the king

2. (transitive) To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution. [from 14th c.]
3. (transitive) To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration. [from 14th c.]
4. (transitive, now rare) To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court. [from 14th c.]
   • 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, page 71:

     In the diocese of Gloucester in 1548 two inhabitants of Slimbridge were presented for saying that holy oil was ‘of no virtue but meet to grease sheep’.

5. (reflexive) To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally. [from 14th c.]
6. (transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit. [from 14th c.]
   • 2020, NFL rule 7 section 4 article 7[1]:

     Note: The offensive team must present a legal formation both before and after a shift.

7. (transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration. [from 14th c.]
   • 1927, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes:

     I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a way as may interest the reader.
8. (transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.). [from 16th c.]

   The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.

9. (transitive, military) To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire. [from 16th c.]
10. (reflexive) To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind. [from 16th c.]

    Well, one idea does present itself.

11. (intransitive, medicine) To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom. [from 19th c.]

    The patient presented with insomnia.

12. (intransitive, medicine) To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth. [from 18th c.]
13. (intransitive, with "as") To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).

    At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.

14. (transitive) To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.). [from 20th c.]

    Anne Robinson presents "The Weakest Link".

15. (transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone). [from 14th c.]

    She was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.

16. (transitive) To give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow. [from 14th c.]
    • 1801, William Cowper, The Vicissitudes Experienced in the Christian Life

      My last, least offering, I present thee now.

17. (transitive) To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer. [from 14th c.]

    I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.

18. (transitive) To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid. [from 15th c.]
19. (intransitive, zoology) To display one's female genitalia in a way that signals to others that one is ready for copulation. Also referred to as lordosis behaviour. [from 20th c.]

Derived terms

• present arms

Translations

Further reading

• present in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• present in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• present at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Serpent, penster, repents, respent, serpent

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin praesens, attested from the 13th century.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /p???zent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /p???zen/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /p?e?zent/

Noun

present m (plural presents)

1. present (current moment or period of time)
2. (grammar) present (grammatical tense)

Adjective

present (masculine and feminine plural presents)

1. present (at a given location)

Derived terms

• tenir present

References

Further reading

• “present” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “present” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “present” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Danish

Etymology

From French présent, from présenter (“to present”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pr?san?/, [p?????s??]

Noun

present c (singular definite presenten, plural indefinite presenter)

1. (dated) present, gift

   Synonym: gave

Inflection

Ladin

Alternative forms

• prejent, presënt

Adjective

present m (feminine singular presenta, masculine plural presenc, feminine plural presentes)

1. present

Middle French

Noun

present m (plural presens)

1. gift; present
   • 1417, La disputation de l'Asne contre frere Anselme Turmeda [3]

     Un iour qu'il alloit par ladite cité & passant p[ar] la rue de la mer, veit une guenon dedans un panier & l'acheta pour en faire un present audit conte d'Armignac son parent, pource que en France i'a pas beaucoup de telz animaux.

     One day as he was walking through said city and passing through la Rue de Mer, he saw an Old World monkey in a basket and bought it to give it as a present to the Count of Armignac, his father, because there are not many animals like this one in France.

2. (grammar) present (tense)

Old French

Noun

present m (oblique plural presenz or presentz, nominative singular presenz or presentz, nominative plural present)

1. gift; present
2. (grammar) present (tense)

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pre?sent/

Noun

present c

1. gift, present

Declension

Synonyms

• gåva, klapp