presence of mind

presence of mind

English

Noun

presence of mind (uncountable)

1. Focused alertness, quick-thinking resourcefulness, stability of thought and feeling, or good sense, especially in spite of circumstances which are distracting, stressful, or otherwise challenging.
   • 1722, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, ch. 21:

     "[A]s you are to hear the most unexpected and surprising thing that perhaps ever befell any family in the world, I beg you to promise me you will receive it with composure and a presence of mind suitable to a man of sense."

   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], chapter V, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: Printed for Benj[amin] Motte, […], OCLC 995220039, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput):

     [T]his magnificent palace would have infallibly been burnt down to the ground, if, by a presence of mind unusual to me, I had not suddenly thought of an expedient.

   • 1826, Sir Walter Scott, Woodstock, ch. 19:

     [S]he snatched a pistol from the wall, on which some fire-arms hung, and while she screamed to her father to awake, had the presence of mind to present it at the intruder.

   • 1850, William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis, ch. 11:

     The Major and Captain Costigan were old soldiers and accustomed to face the enemy, so we may presume that they retained their presence of mind perfectly.

   • 1871, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Pink and White Tyranny, ch. 5:

     During the whole agitating scene, Lillie kept up her presence of mind, and was perfectly aware of what she was about.

   • 1902, P. G. Wodehouse, The Pothunters, ch. 18:

     It speaks well for Barrett's presence of mind that he had grasped the situation and decided on his line of action before Welch went.

   • 2001 June 24, Roger Rosenblatt, "New Hopes, New Dreams," Time:

     Somebody had the presence of mind to give Reeve mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and the paramedics arrived about a minute later.

Translations

alertness, resourcefulness, stability of thought and feeling, good sense

Czech: duchapřítomnost f French: présence d'esprit (fr)

Portuguese: presença de espírito f Russian: прису́тствие духа (ru) (prisútstvije duxa)