1. To be officially in charge; to hold the position of authority; act as chairperson or president: Max was appointed to preside as the chairperson of the school board.
2. To have control; to be the most powerful person or the one everyone else obeys, usually in a specific place or situation: Tom is scheduled to preside over the business when the current chairman retires.
3. To perform as an instrumentalist: Mary was the featured musician at the musical performance where she presided at the organ.
4. Etymology: From Latin præsidere, "to stand guard, to superintend"; literally, "to sit in front of"; from præ-, "before" + sedere, "to sit".