verb

• 1Be in the position of authority in a meeting or other gathering.

  ‘the prime minister will preside at an emergency cabinet meeting’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Native Tanzanians preside in all positions in major religions.’
  • ‘The case will resume on October 7, exactly a year after the home run, with another judge presiding.’
  • ‘A High Court judge presides in all Central Criminal Court cases, and High Court judges already sit in Limerick three times a year, but only for civil cases.’
  • ‘Three judges in black robes presided from a bench under the red-and-gold emblem of the People's Republic of China.’
  • ‘Many distinguished judges and barristers presided there.’
  • ‘Equally disturbing to many, Parliament routed execution of these new laws through admiralty courts, where a judge would preside unhampered by either jurors or public spectators.’
  • ‘McManus and four other top administrators presided from chairs usually reserved for council members.’
  • ‘So far, unionists have refused to elect a deputy Lord Mayor so that Maskey, alone in the chair, will have to preside without respite throughout all council meetings.’
  • ‘At a dinner party given by the King at Balmoral in September 1936, Wallis was presiding as official hostess.’
  • ‘A Protestant, a Catholic, and an Orthodox read from the Scriptures; Pope John has been dead for two years and Pope Paul VI presides and leads the common prayer.’
  • ‘Prince Otto von Bismarck, chancellor of the German Empire, was presiding.’
  • ‘A memorial Mass is scheduled this morning in St Peter's Square at 10.30 am with Sodano presiding.’
  • ‘The Farm Council will meet at Hotel Europe with Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh presiding.’
  • ‘I spent nights lying in bed imagining I was presiding with Warren Burger or John Jay.’
  • ‘Tony Hargreaves, presiding, congratulated Simms on a glowing report by the probation service.’
  • ‘Father Spellman, presiding, spoke to mourners of a great sadness in all our hearts today.’
  • ‘Each side - the plaintiff company and defendant government - gets to choose one of the three arbitrators who will hear the case, then they jointly select the third, who presides.’
  • ‘And, of course, the vice president presides as the president of the Senate, and casts the tie-breaking vote when there are ties between the two parties.’
  • ‘After a hectic day of bickering and money-making, the gang reverently enters an elaborate boardroom where Trump presides.’
  • ‘Frances Moran presides here, over a small round table in a room covered with charts, pictures and books.’

  Synonyms

  chair, take the chair, be chairman, be chairperson, be chairwoman, officiate, officiate at

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  1. 1.1preside overBe in charge of (a place or situation)
     ‘Johnson has presided over eight matches since Beck's dismissal’
     More example sentences

     • ‘What does Rupert Lowe, the club chairman who presides over this delicate situation, make of it all?’
     • ‘The image we see is of an aloof presidency, presiding over dysfunctional government agencies.’
     • ‘The World Trade Organisation will preside over a conference of most of the world's countries in Cancun, Mexico, this month.’
     • ‘This massive biography describes the rise to power of the last great English churchman to preside over the King's government.’
     • ‘For a long period the Christian Democrats did not lose control of the democratic process and of the governments presiding over it.’
     • ‘The case will eventually be dealt with in the Crown Court, as the charges are too serious for magistrates to preside over.’
     • ‘He also conducts foreign policy and presides over cabinet meetings.’
     • ‘He presides over an administration that is riven with ethnic, religious and regional rivalries.’
     • ‘He remains the idol of the Russian armed forces today, and his portrait presides over most commanders' offices.’
     • ‘His government had presided over rising unemployment and mass sackings.’
     • ‘The Labour government has presided over a widening of the gap between rich and poor.’
     • ‘He or she will preside over the government as chairperson of the cabinet and have the power to issue decrees.’
     • ‘This government isn't over yet and it presides over an economy which is delivering more cash than the Treasury knows what to do with.’
     • ‘That is why they conducted inspections of all the villages they presided over.’
     • ‘Almost half were in Texas and presided over by Bush, as governor, before he was elected to the White House.’
     • ‘They were found to have presided over miscarriages of justice that led to wrongful imprisonments.’
     • ‘She will preside as chair over the board of directors, executive committee and house of delegates.’
     • ‘Yet, despite his shortcomings, he presides smugly over a programme in which young couples pit their attractiveness against that of their friends to win cash.’
     • ‘‘I only wish farmers could be fully compensated for the incompetence, inefficiency and neglect of the Department over which Mrs Beckett presides,’ he said.’
     • ‘He has sent us a copy of his letter to the union over which she presides.’
     Synonyms

     be in charge of, be responsible for, be accountable for, be at the head of, be at the helm of, head, be head of, manage, administer, organize, be in control of, control, direct, lead, run, govern, rule, be boss of, head up, conduct, command, supervise, superintend, oversee, handle

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• 2preside atPlay (a musical instrument, especially a keyboard instrument) at a public gathering.

  ‘No longer was there a need for the composer to preside at the keyboard.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘He will preside at the piano while the baritone Kenneth Holton handles the vocal chores.’
  • ‘For many years, David Harris has been like an adopted son around our home and has presided at the piano on many occasions for us.’
  • ‘For 15 years he presided at the largest church organ in the world as Choirmaster and Organist of the Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.’