[as.sume] vt as.sumed ; as.sum.ing [ME, fr. L assumere, fr. ad- + sumere to take--more at consume] (15c) 1 a: to take up or in: receive b: to take into partnership, employment, or use
2. a: to take to or upon oneself: undertake b: put on, don
3: to take control of
4: to pretend to have or be: feign "assumed an air of confidence in spite of her dismay"
5: to take as granted or true: suppose
6: to take over (the debts of another) as one's own -- as.sum.abil.i.ty n -- as.sum.able adj -- as.sum.ably adv syn assume, affect, pretend, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham mean to put on a false or deceptive appearance. assume often implies a justifiable motive rather than an intent to deceive "assumed an air of cheerfulness around the patients". affect implies making a false show of possessing, using, or feeling "affected an interest in art". pretend implies an overt and sustained false appearance "pretended that nothing had happened". simulate suggests a close imitation of the appearance of something "cosmetics that simulate a suntan". feign implies more artful invention than pretend, less specific mimicry than simulate "feigned sickness". counterfeit implies achieving the highest degree of verisimilitude of any of these words "an actor counterfeiting drunkenness". sham implies an obvious falseness that fools only the gullible "shammed a most unconvincing limp".