Bible dictionaries
Presently
What Bible dictionaries say about “Presently”, one article after the other.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Presently - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)
PRES'ENTLY, adv. s as z. At present; at this time.
The towns and forts you presently have.
1. In a short time after; soon after.
Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. Phil 2.
And presently the fig-tree withered away. Mat 21.
Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)
The article in Easton + Webster 1828International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)
prez'-ent-li: The strict meaning is of course "at the present moment," "instantly," and the modern force "after a short interval" is due simply to the procrastinating habits of mankind; hence, the Revised Version (British and American) modifications of the King James Version use of the word into "immediately" (Mt 21:19), "even now" (Mt 26:53), and "forthwith" (Php 2:23). In Pr 12:16, the uncertainty of the meaning (margin "openly," Hebrew "in the day") has led to the retention of the King James Version word.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2
The article in ISBE 1915