presume

verb pre·sume \pri-ˈzüm\

: to think that (something) is true without knowing that it is true

: to accept legally or officially that something is true until it is proved not true

: to do (something) that you do not have the right or permission to do

pre·sumedpre·sum·ing

Full Definition of PRESUME

transitive verb

: to undertake without leave or clear justification : dare

: to expect or assume especially with confidence

: to suppose to be true without proof <presumed innocent until proved guilty>

: to take for granted : imply

intransitive verb

: to act or proceed presumptuously or on a presumption

: to go beyond what is right or proper

— pre·sumed·ly \-ˈzü-məd-lē, -ˈzümd-lē\ adverb

— pre·sum·er noun

See presume defined for English-language learners

See presume defined for kids

Origin of PRESUME

Middle English, from Late Latin & Anglo-French; Anglo-French presumer, from Late Latin praesumere to dare, from Latin, to anticipate, assume, from prae- + sumere to take — more at consume

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PRESUME

Synonyms: assume, conjecture, daresay, imagine, guess, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect, suspicion [chiefly dialect]

Rhymes with PRESUME

abloom, assume, 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, 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

PRESUMED Defined for Kids

presume

verb pre·sume \pri-ˈzüm\

pre·sumedpre·sum·ing

Definition of PRESUME for Kids

: to undertake without permission or good reason : dare <They … did not presume to talk to their masters as if they were their equals. — Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden>

: to suppose to be true without proof <A person is presumed innocent until proved guilty.>