assume

assume
transitive verb (assumed; assuming) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin assumere, from ad- + sumere to take — more at consume Date: 15th century 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 <
assume responsibility
>
b. put on, don c. to place oneself in <
assume a position
>
3. seize, usurp <
assume control
>
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 • assumability nounassumable adjectiveassumably 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
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • assume — as·sume vt as·sumed, as·sum·ing 1: to voluntarily take upon oneself assume a risk 2: to take over (the debts or obligations of another) as one s own assume a mortgage Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster …   Law dictionary

  • assume — UK US /əˈsjuːm/ verb [T] ► to begin to take control of something: assume control/office/a role »Europe has assumed a leadership role in the prevention of future global crises. assume responsibility for sth »The FSA said mortgages would not be… …   Financial and business terms

  • assume — assume, presume 1. Both words can mean ‘suppose’ and are often interchangeable in this meaning. Fowler (1926) maintained that there is a stronger element of postulation or hypothesis in assume and of a belief held on the basis of external… …   Modern English usage

  • assume — [ə so͞om′, əsyo͞om′] vt. assumed, assuming [ME assumen < L assumere, to take up, claim < ad , to + sumere, to take: see CONSUME] 1. to take on or put on (the appearance, form, role, etc. of) 2. to seize; usurp [to assume control] 3. to take …   English World dictionary

  • assume — 1 Assume, affect, pretend, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham mean to put on a false or deceptive appearance. Assume often implies a pardonable motive rather than an intent to deceive {it sometimes happens that by assuming an air of cheerfulness… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • assume — [v1] believe, take for granted accept, ascertain, be afraid, be inclined to think, conclude, conjecture, consider, count upon, deduce, deem, divine, estimate, expect, fall for, fancy, find, gather, get the idea*, guess, have a hunch*, have… …   New thesaurus

  • Assume — As*sume , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Assumed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Assuming}.] [L. assumere; ad + sumere to take; sub + emere to take, buy: cf. F. assumer. See {Redeem}.] 1. To take to or upon one s self; to take formally and demonstratively; sometimes,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • assume — (v.) early 15c., assumpten to receive up into heaven (especially of the Virgin Mary), also assumen to arrogate, from L. assumere to take up, take to oneself, from ad to, up (see AD (Cf. ad )) + sumere to take, from sub under + emere …   Etymology dictionary

  • Assume — As*sume , v. i. 1. To be arrogant or pretentious; to claim more than is due. Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster] 2. (Law) To undertake, as by a promise. Burrill. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • assume — an agreement to continue performing duties under a contract or lease (Glossary of Common Bankruptcy Terms) An agreement between the debtor and the other party to an executory contract to continue performing duties under that contract. A lease is… …   Glossary of Bankruptcy

  • assumé — assumé, ée (a su mé, mée) part. passé. La responsabilité assumée par cet employé …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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