assume

Definition

To authenticate by means of belief; to surmise; to suppose to be true, especially without proof.

Etymology

From Latin assūmō (“accept, take”), from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + sūmō (“take up, assume”).

Example Sentences

• "We assume that, as her parents were dentists, she knows quite a bit about dentistry."
• "Levelling of ME /irC/ and /urC/, which Orton assumes for the whole of the North (S. Durham §§411-13), has not taken place in Dent and S.We, where ME /urC/ remains (4:46)."
• "Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much."

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