To present is no more than to give or offer on the spot.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) To present a thing is to deliver it on the spot — presentment is an immediate, in-person act of giving or offering, not a future promise.

Where this applies

• A process server must physically hand the legal papers to the defendant in person — presentment means immediate, on-the-spot delivery.
• A bank demands that a check be presented at the teller window for payment, not mailed or promised for later.
• A landlord presents a notice to quit by handing it directly to the tenant at the door, fulfilling the requirement of in-person delivery.