(r)nowin the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events“President Kennedy now calls in the National Guard”, “Washington now decides to cross the Delaware”, “the ship is now listing to port”
(r)nowadays, now, todayin these times“it is solely by their language that the upper classes nowadays are distinguished” (Nancy Mitford), “we now rarely see horse-drawn vehicles on city streets”, “today almost every home has television”
(r)now, at presentat the present moment“goods now on sale”, “the now-aging dictator”, “they are now abroad”, “he is busy at present writing a new novel”, “it could happen any time now”