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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Presume

Pre-sūme′, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PRESUMED; p. pr. & vb. n. PRESUMING.] [Fr. présumer, Pr., Sp., & Pg. présumir, It. presumere, Lat. præsumere, from præ, before, and sumere, to take.] 1. To assume or take beforehand; to obtain in advance of; to undertake. [Rare.] Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve. Milton. 2. To take or suppose to be true, or entitled to belief, without examination or positive proof, or on the strength of probability; to suppose upon grounds deemed valid, though not amounting to decisive proof; to be reasonably convinced of; to infer beforehand; to take for granted. What rests but that the mortal sentence pass, . . . Which he presumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted? Milton.

Pre-sūme′, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To suppose or assume something to be, or to be true, on grounds deemed valid, though not amounting to proof; to believe by anticipation; to think; as, we may presume too far.

Sense 2. To venture beyond what one is sure of, or has ground for; to reach beyond proper restraints; to act in a forward or venturesome manner; to be over-confident, pushing, arrogant, or the like; to take liberties;—sometimes with on or upon before the ground of confidence.

Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner? Shak.

This man presumes upon his parts. Locke.

In that we presume to see what is meet and convenient better than God himself. Hooker.