presently

adv

1. (British, archaic)Immediately, at once; quickly.

   “Polonius: My lord, the queen would speak with you, and presently.”

   “And presently the fig tree withered away.”

   “the butler supposing the Wine had beene so carefully commended unto him for the goodnesse of it, imediately presented some unto the Pope, who whilest he was drinking, his sonne came in and never imagining his bottles had beene toucht, tooke the cup and pledged his father, so that the Pope died presently; and the sonne, after he had long time beene tormented with sicknesse, recovered to another worse fortune.”

2. Before long; soon.

   “Presently all was quiet again.”

   “It[…]is the greatest example of lenity in our Saviour, when he desired of God forgiveness unto those, who having one day brought him into the City in triumph, did presently after, act all dishonour upon him, and nothing could be heard but, Crucifige, in their Courts.”

   “But they had already discovered that he could be bullied, and they had it their own way; and presently Selwyn lay prone upon the nursery floor, impersonating a ladrone while pleasant shivers chased themselves over Drina, whom he was stalking.”

   “I shall forget you presently, my dear, / So make the most of this, your little day, / Your little month, your little half a year, / Ere I forget, or die, or move away,”

   “‘I shall presently be getting a call to tell me of that.’”

3. (proscribed, rare)At present; now; currently.

   “The towns and forts you presently have.”

   “To all of you, therefore, who call Wales your motherland, whether you presently inhabit some other portion of the globe or breathe the air of your cloud-kissed country […].”

4. (obsolete)With actual presence; in actuality.

   “March 27 1545, Stephen Gardiner, letter to Thomas Smith and MAtthew PArker if they perceyve not presently, it shal be wel doon to bringe them to conformite”