presume

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See also: présumé and présume

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English presumen, from Anglo-Norman presumer and its source, Latin praesūmere (“to take beforehand, anticipate”), from prae- + sūmere (“to take”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

presume (third-person singular simple present presumes, present participle presuming, simple past and past participle presumed)

  1. (transitive) With infinitive object: to be so presumptuous as (to do something) without proper authority or permission. [from 14th c.]
    I wouldn't presume to tell him how to do his job.
  2. (transitive, now rare) To perform, do (something) without authority; to lay claim to without permission. [from 14th c.]
    Don't make the decision yourself and presume too much.
  3. (transitive) To assume or suggest to be true (without proof); to take for granted, to suppose. [from 14th c.]
    Paw-prints in the snow allow us to presume a visit from next door's cat.
    Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
  4. (transitive) To take as a premise; to assume for the sake of argument.
    • 2011 February 5, John Patterson, The Guardian:
      If we presume that human cloning may one day become a mundane, everyday reality, then maybe it's time to start thinking more positively about our soon-to-arrive genetically engineered pseudo-siblings.
  5. (intransitive) To be presumptuous; with on, upon, to take advantage (of), to take liberties (with). [from 15th c.]
    • 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 22”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
      Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain;
      Thou gavest me thine, not to give back again.
    • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume II, chapter 15:
      Emma was not required, by any subsequent discovery, to retract her ill opinion of Mrs. Elton. Her observation had been pretty correct. Such as Mrs. Elton appeared to her on this second interview, such she appeared whenever they met again,—self-important, presuming, familiar, ignorant, and ill-bred.
    • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus, published 2010, page 75:
      Piliso then vented his anger on us, accusing us of lying to him. He said we had presumed on his hospitality and the good name of the regent.

Synonyms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Anagrams[edit]

Italian[edit]

Verb[edit]

presume

  1. third-person singular present indicative of presumere

Anagrams[edit]

Portuguese[edit]

Verb[edit]

presume

  1. inflection of presumir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Spanish[edit]

Verb[edit]

presume

  1. inflection of presumir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative
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