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1708 New Exercise Firelocks & Bayonets 13 Words of Command. Take Care to present your Arms.

1759 W. Windham Plan Discipline Norfolk Militia 10 (note) Presenting the arms, being the same position as the rest, needs no further explanation; it is so termed when used as a compliment.

1797 Instr. & Regulations Cavalry (rev. ed.) App. 260 The men present arms, and the officers salute, so as to drop their swords with the last motion of presented arms.

1798 Brit. Mil. Jrnl. Oct. Manual Exercise of Pikes [2nd word of command]..Present Pike.

1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) iv. 35 There was a general clash of muskets, as arms were presented.

1853 J. H. Stocqueler Mil. Encycl. 220/1 Present arms! is the salutation of a sentry, a guard, or an entire line when a superior officer appears, or the ‘colours’ are saluted. The motion is performed by bringing the firelock in a perpendicular position in front of the body, and at the same time placing the hollow of the right foot against the heel of the left.

1892 E. Reeves Homeward Bound 270 So we left in great style, with bands playing and soldiers presenting arms.

1904 J. Conrad Nostromo iii. ix. 381 The sentry on the landing presented arms, and got in return a black..glance.

1967 G. Vidal Washingon D.C. I. ii. 31 The boy held the rifle across his chest as though presenting arms.

1990 Lifeboat (RNLI) Summer 265/1 The army presented arms and the Duke's standard was unfurled on the platform.