First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
assume
verb as·sume \ə-ˈsüm\
: to think that something is true or probably true without knowing that it is true
: to begin (a role, duty, etc.) as a job or responsibility
: to take or begin to have (power, control, etc.) in a job or situation
as·sumedas·sum·ing
Full Definition of ASSUME
transitive verb
1
a : to take up or in : receive b : to take into partnership, employment, or use
2
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 <I assume he'll be there>
6
: to take over (the debts of another) as one's own
— as·sum·abil·i·ty \-ˌsü-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— as·sum·able \-ˈsü-mə-bəl\ adjective
— as·sum·ably \-blē\ adverb
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Origin of ASSUME
Middle English, from Latin assumere, from ad- + sumere to take — more at consume
Related to ASSUME
Synonym Discussion of ASSUME
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>.
Rhymes with ASSUME
abloom, backroom, ballroom, barroom, bathroom, bedroom, boardroom, bridegroom, broadloom, chat room, checkroom, classroom, clean room, cloakroom, coatroom, consume, costume, courtroom, darkroom, dayroom, entomb, enwomb, exhume, foredoom, front room, great room, greenroom, guardroom, gun room, headroom, heirloom, homeroom, houseroom, illume, inhume, jibboom, Khartoum, legroom, legume, lunchroom, men's room, mudroom, mushroom, newsroom, perfume, playroom, poolroom, pressroom, presume, push broom, relume, restroom, resume, salesroom, schoolroom, Scotch broom, sea room, showroom, sickroom, simoom, squad room, stateroom, stockroom, storeroom, strong room, subsume, sunroom, taproom, Targum, tearoom, throne room, toolroom, wardroom, washroom, weight room, whisk broom, white room, workroom
ASSUMED Defined for Kids
assume
verb as·sume \ə-ˈsüm\
as·sumedas·sum·ing
Definition of ASSUME for Kids
1
: to begin to take on or perform <assume responsibility> <assumed the presidency>
2
: to take or begin to have <The problem assumes greater importance now.>
3
: to pretend to have or be <We both assumed an air of weary worldliness … — Richard Peck, A Long Way From Chicago>
4
: to accept as true <I assume you're right.>
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