adj.
Pronunciation: s ə - ' p ō zd; 1b & 2a usu - ' p ō -z ə d, 3 & 4 often - ' p ō st
Function: adjective
Date: 1566
1 a : PRETENDED <twelve hours are supposed to elapse between Acts I and II ― A. S. Sullivan> b : ALLEGED <trusted my supposed friends>
2 a : held as an opinion : BELIEVED also : mistakenly believed : IMAGINED <the sight which makes supposed terror true ― Shakespeare> b : considered probable or certain : EXPECTED <it was not supposed that everybody could master the technical aspects ― J. C. Murray> c : UNDERSTOOD <you will be supposed to refer to my grandaunt ― G. B. Shaw>
3 : made or fashioned by intent or design <what's that button supposed to do>
4 a : required by or as if by authority <soldiers are supposed to obey their commanding officers> b : given permission : PERMITTED <was not supposed to have visitors>
– sup · pos · ed · ly \ - ' p ō -z ə d-l ē also - ' p ō zd-l ē \ adverb