Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Presentment
Pre-sent′ment
,Noun.
1.
The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; presentation.
“ Upon the heels of my presentment.” Shak.
2.
Setting forth to view; delineation; appearance; representation; exhibition.
Power to cheat the eye with blear illusion,
And give it false
And give it false
presentment
. Milton.
3.
(Law)
(a)
The notice taken by a grand jury of any offence from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them,
as, the
; also, an inquisition of office and indictment by a grand jury; an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment, or the act of offering an indictment; also, the indictment itself. presentment
of a nuisance, a libel, or the like(b)
The official notice (formerly required to be given in court) of the surrender of a copyhold estate.
Blackstone.
Presentment of a bill of exchange
, the offering of a bill to the drawee for acceptance, or to the acceptor for payment. See
Bill of exchange
, under Bill
. Mozley & W.
Webster 1828 Edition
Presentment
PRESENT'MENT
,Noun.
1.
Appearance to the view; representation.2.
In law, a presentment, properly speaking, is the notice taken by a grand jury of any offense from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them at the suit of the king; as the presentment of a nuisance, a libel or the like, on which the officer of the court must afterwards frame an indictment, before the party presented can be put to answer it.3.
In a more general sense, presentment comprehends inquisitions of office and indictments.In the United States, a presentment is an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment; or it is the act of offering an indictment. It is also used for the indictment itself. The grand jury are charged to inquire and due presentment make of all crimes, &c. The use of the word is limited to accusations by grand jurors.
4.
The official notice in court which the jury or homage gives of the surrender of a copyhold estate.