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Definition of presume verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

presume

verb
 
/prɪˈzjuːm/
 
/prɪˈzuːm/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they presume
 
/prɪˈzjuːm/
 
/prɪˈzuːm/
he / she / it presumes
 
/prɪˈzjuːmz/
 
/prɪˈzuːmz/
past simple presumed
 
/prɪˈzjuːmd/
 
/prɪˈzuːmd/
past participle presumed
 
/prɪˈzjuːmd/
 
/prɪˈzuːmd/
-ing form presuming
 
/prɪˈzjuːmɪŋ/
 
/prɪˈzuːmɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1. [intransitive, transitive] to suppose that something is true, although you do not have actual proof synonym assume
    • They are very expensive, I presume?
    • ‘Is he still abroad?’ ‘I presume so.’
    • presume (that)… I presumed (that) he understood the rules.
    • it is presumed that… Little is known of the youngest son; it is presumed that he died young.
    • presume somebody/something to be/have something I presumed him to be her husband.
    Extra Examples
    • I had presumed wrongly that Jenny would be there.
    • I presumed that he understood the rules.
    • They presumed that she wouldn't be interested in the job because of the low salary.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • correctly
    • wrongly
    • reasonably
    phrases
    • be presumed dead
    • be presumed guilty
    • be presumed innocent
    See full entry
  2. [transitive] to accept that something is true until it is shown not to be true, especially in court
    • presume somebody/something + adj. Twelve passengers are missing, presumed dead.
    • In English law, a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty.
    • presume something We must presume innocence until we have proof of guilt.
    • presume somebody/something to be/have something We must presume them to be innocent until we have proof of guilt.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • correctly
    • wrongly
    • reasonably
    phrases
    • be presumed dead
    • be presumed guilty
    • be presumed innocent
    See full entry
  3. [transitive] presume something (formal) to accept something as true or existing and to act on that basis
    • The course seems to presume some previous knowledge of the subject.
  4. [intransitive] presume to do something (formal) to behave in a way that shows a lack of respect by doing something that you have no right to do
    • I wouldn't presume to tell you how to run your own business.
  5. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French presumer, from Latin praesumere ‘anticipate’ (in late Latin ‘take for granted’), from prae ‘before’ + sumere ‘take’.
See presume in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee presume in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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noun
 
 
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