PRESUME

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does presume mean? 

• PRESUME (verb)
  The verb PRESUME has 4 senses:

1. take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof

2. take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

3. constitute reasonable evidence for

4. take liberties or act with too much confidence

  Familiarity information: PRESUME used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRESUME (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they presume    ... he / she / it presumes   
Past simple: presumed   
Past participle: presumed   
-ing form: presuming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

assume; presume; take for granted

Context example:

I assume his train was late

Hypernyms (to "presume" is one way to...):

anticipate; expect (regard something as probable or likely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "presume"):

presuppose; suppose (take for granted or as a given; suppose beforehand)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

presumption (a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming)

presumption ((law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts proved or admitted or judicially noticed)

presumption (an assumption that is taken for granted)

presumptive (affording reasonable grounds for belief or acceptance)

presumptive (having a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dare; make bold; presume

Context example:

How dare you call my lawyer?

Hypernyms (to "presume" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
Somebody ----s INFINITIVE

Derivation:

presumption (a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Constitute reasonable evidence for

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

A restaurant bill presumes the consumption of food

Hypernyms (to "presume" is one way to...):

bear witness; evidence; prove; show; testify (provide evidence for)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

presumptive (affording reasonable grounds for belief or acceptance)

presumptive (having a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take liberties or act with too much confidence

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "presume" is one way to...):

act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

presumption (a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming)

presumption (audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to)

 Context examples 

I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Your examination of Mr. Darcy is over, I presume,” said Miss Bingley; “and pray what is the result?”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

After a short pause, Mr Shepherd presumed to say—In all these cases, there are established usages which make everything plain and easy between landlord and tenant.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

"And now you recall your promise, and will not go to India at all, I presume?" said he, after a considerable pause.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Without presuming to give my opinion on this question, I delivered my message.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I presume that it is a very quiet place.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I presume they were of value?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A finding associated with a patient with defined or presumed cardiac disease with marked limitation of physical activity.

(New York Heart Association Class III, NCI Thesaurus)

Do you presume to talk for the people of England?

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A population of cells or organisms that are identifiable by specific, shared characteristics and presumed to have originated from a single progenitor.

(Clonal Subgroup, NCI Thesaurus)