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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PRESES, n. Also praeses, preces(s), presses, preeses, -is. The person who presides at a meeting or the like, the chairman, president; the spokesman or leader of a group (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 126, 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 67). Gen.Sc., obsol. [′prisiz]Sc. 1701 Seafield Corresp. (S.H.S.) 341:
They mad an act that the precess Colodn should signe it for all as presented.Sc. 1707 R. Sibbald Hist. Slg. (1892) 42:
The Dean of Guild is always Praeses of the Town Council [of Stirling]; which is contrary to the Custom of other Towns, wherein the Provost is always President.Fif. 1742 Dysart T.C. Min. MS. (7 May):
Bailie Henderson goes to Edinburgh with an introduction to George Lind, Presses of the Edinburgh Linen Merchants.Abd. 1762 Aberdeen Jnl. (15 Feb.):
The annual Meeting of the musical Society, for electing a Praeses and Directors for the ensuing Year.Slk. 1819 Hogg Tales (1874) 142:
I had the honour of having been named as preses.Sc. 1826 Scott Journal (17 Jan.):
Have apologised for not attending the Royal Society club, who . . . seemed to count much on my being the preses.Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of Lairds iii.:
Quaigh o' Plunkcorkie was the preses, and Luggie o' Dramkeg the croupier.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 776:
The business of a meeting of creditors cannot proceed without a preses . . . The preses has no power beyond that of constituting the meeting, and preserving order in it.Wgt. 1877 G. Fraser Sketches 183:
As this is a maist extranornar affair we're about, the Faither maun be preesis.Dmf. 1891 J. Brown Sanquhar 320:
One of the oldest curlers being chosen preses, appointed a Committee.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 206:
24 January 1676. Mitchel was brought before the Lords of Session, in the laich hall of the Parliament House. He was to be subjected to judicial torture. The executioner, masked, was present with the boots. Lord Linlithgow, in his robes of office, again acted as preses. He asked the panel once more if he would confess before being put to the torture.

2. Specif. (1) the chairman of the Board of Managers in the United Presbyterian Church or its descendants in the Church of Scotland, the chairman of the congregation.Sc. 1900 D. Webster Hist. U.P. Cong. Kirkwall (1910) 217:
Managers. Samuel Reid, Preses and Treasurer.Sc. 1938 St Andrews Citizen (24 Dec.) 10:
The chairman called on Mr. B., preses of the Congregation, to make the presentation.

(2) the master of foxhounds of a hunt (Fif. 1930), gen. in phr. Preses of the Hunt.Sc. 1929 St Andrews Citizen (12 Jan.) 6:
Fife Hunt . . . The Preses this year was Col. — of —.

†(3) the Moderator (see Moderate) of the High Constables of Edinburgh in the years 1745–1796.Edb. 1865 J. Marwick High Constables 117:
With the exception of the period between 1745 and 1796, when the term “preses” was in use by the constables, the head of the body has uniformly retained the title of moderator.