[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/presume.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / presume

[← P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/P/)

# presume

«presume» in Mova's school dictionary: **true without being sure, because it seems likely** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

verb (presume, presumes, presumed, presuming)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To think something is true without being sure, because it seems likely. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#m1)

2) (law) To treat something as true until it is proved wrong: «innocent until proved guilty». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#m2)

3) (formal) To be bold or rude enough to do something you have no right to do: «Don't presume to tell me what to do.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#m3)

4) presume on/upon To take unfair advantage of someone's kindness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In stories and talk: «I presume you've done your homework.» Famous line: «Dr Livingstone, I presume?» In law a person is «presumed innocent». In science, a guess you treat as true until tested is close to an assumption. Phrases: «I presume», «presumed dead», «presumed innocent».

### examples

- I presume you're hungry after the long walk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x1)
- The sailors were presumed lost at sea, but they came home. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x2)
- In court, everyone is presumed innocent until proved guilty. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x3)
- Don't presume to boss me around! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x4)
- We presumed the shop was open, but it was shut. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x5)
- "You're the new girl, I presume?" said the teacher. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x6)
- She never presumed on her friends' kindness. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x7)
- We presume this from the interest, which came to twenty dollars. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/#x8)

### note

Regular verb: presumed, presuming. Noun «presumption», adjective «presumptuous» (too bold). Close to «assume»; «presume» suggests more reason to believe it. In maths word problems, do not presume facts that are not given.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «presume» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/presume/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.
