Presume vs assume

presume and assume
Assume or Presume?

Assume has a variety of meanings. It basically means "to take up or on oneself," "to suppose or take for granted," "to pretend," or "to be taken up." The noun form is assumption.


Presume is related to and similar to assume, but it has the sense of doing it beforehand. It means "to dare or venture without prior knowledge," "to assume as believable without direct proof," "to take as a premise, subject to further proof," or "to behave arrogantly or overconfidently." The noun form is presumption.


A presumption is often taken up or assumed to be true until proven otherwise, as presumed innocent. Sometimes it has the sense of behaving in a superior manner, as in to presume upon someone. Presumption often has the sense of blind overconfidence, or going beyond the limits of proper manners. Presumptive means "based on reasonable grounds of evidence" as in presumptive heir. Presumptuous means "unusually confident or bold, often arrogant," or "foolhardy."


To assume suggest taking by one's own will or power for good or evil, right or wrong. If he assumes a position that is not rightfully his, he has arrogated or usurped it. A person can assume office either lawfully or unlawfully. When a debater assumes something, he or she may take it for granted without explaining it. If a person takes to himself character traits or a position he does not posses, he pretends to or affects the character he is assuming. A smooth talker often assumes something to be true that would be challenged if directly stated. When people claim something, they assert that they have a right to it. When they assume it, they take it.

The adjective assumed means "taken for granted" or "fictitious." When used as an adjective, assuming means "arrogant," its opposite, unassuming is more common. Something that is assumable is something that can be taken, as an assumable loan.


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Main Entry: as·sume
Pronunciation: &-'süm
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): as·sumed; as·sum·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin assumere, from ad- + sumere to take -- more at CONSUME
1 a : to take up or in : RECEIVE b : to take into partnership, employment, or use
2 a : to take to or upon oneself : UNDERTAKE b : PUT ON, DON
3 : to take control of
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
6 : to take over (the debts of another) as one's own
- as·sum·abil·i·ty /-"sü-m&-'bi-l&-tE/ noun
- as·sum·able /-'sü-m&-b&l/ adjective
- as·sum·ably /-blE/ adverb
synonyms 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>.

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Main Entry: as·sump·tion
Pronunciation: &-'s&m(p)-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin assumption-, assumptio taking up, from Latin assumere
1 a : the taking up of a person into heaven b capitalized : August 15 observed in commemoration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
2 : a taking to or upon oneself <the assumption of a new position>
3 : the act of laying claim to or taking possession of something <the assumption of power>
4 : ARROGANCE, PRETENSION
5 a : an assuming that something is true b : a fact or statement (as a proposition, axiom, postulate, or notion) taken for granted
6 : the taking over of another's debts

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Main Entry: pre·sume
Pronunciation: pri-'züm
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): pre·sumed; pre·sum·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin & Middle French; Late Latin praesumere to dare, from Latin, to anticipate, assume, from prae- + sumere to take; Middle French presumer to assume, from Latin praesumere -- more at CONSUME
transitive senses
1 : to undertake without leave or clear justification : DARE
2 : to expect or assume especially with confidence
3 : to suppose to be true without proof <presumed innocent until proved guilty>
4 : to take for granted : IMPLY
intransitive senses
1 : to act or proceed presumptuously or on a presumption
2 : to go beyond what is right or proper
- pre·sumed·ly /-'zü-m&d-lE, -'zümd-lE/ adverb
- pre·sum·er noun

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Main Entry: pre·sump·tion
Pronunciation: pri-'z&m(p)-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English presumpcioun, from Old French presumption, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin praesumption-, praesumptio presumptuous attitude, from Latin, assumption, from praesumere
1 : presumptuous attitude or conduct : AUDACITY
2 a : an attitude or belief dictated by probability : ASSUMPTION b : the ground, reason, or evidence lending probability to a belief
3 : a legal inference as to the existence or truth of a fact not certainly known that is drawn from the known or proved existence of some other fact

Yours was a most eloquent reply. Thank you for taking the time to answer in such detail! jo Let's see...."I presume you to be an English teacher, but do I assume too much?"

...or would it be.... " I assume you are an English teacher, but do I presume too much?" ?????ugghhh!!! jo

jobsaw, the first

Thank you!!