-üm verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English presumen to dare, anticipate, suppose, from Late Latin & Middle French; Middle English presumen to dare, from Late Latin praesumere, from Latin, to anticipate, suppose, take in advance, from prae- pre- + sumere to take, from sub- + emere to buy, obtain; Middle English presumen to anticipate, suppose, from Middle French presumer, from Latin praesumere — more at redeem
transitive verb
1. : to take upon oneself without leave, authority, or warrant : undertake rashly : dare
men who presumed to guide human thought — R.E.Coker
2. : to look confidently forward to : anticipate , expect
the reading public … might be presumed to know that dynamite and poison have a certain deadly quality — Norman Birkett
3. : to accept as true or credible without proof or before inquiry : assume , infer , suppose
until a man or an organization has been condemned by due process of law he or it must be presumed innocent — R.M.Hutchins
4. : to raise a presumption of or that : take for granted : imply
they presume a fairly high degree of sensitivity and discernment in the reader — Anthony Quinton
intransitive verb
: to take a permission or privilege for granted : be brash : take liberties : act presumptuously
ignorance presumes where understanding is reticent
Synonyms: see presuppose
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- presume on