Hypertext Webster Gateway: "presumption"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Presumption \Pre*sump"tion\ (?; 215), n. [L. praesumptio: cf. F.
pr['e]somption, OF. also presumpcion. See {Presume}.]
1. The act of presuming, or believing upon probable evidence;
the act of assuming or taking for granted; belief upon
incomplete proof.

2. Ground for presuming; evidence probable, but not
conclusive; strong probability; reasonable supposition;
as, the presumption is that an event has taken place.

3. That which is presumed or assumed; that which is supposed
or believed to be real or true, on evidence that is
probable but not conclusive. ``In contradiction to these
very plausible presumptions.'' --De Quincey.

4. The act of venturing beyond due beyond due bounds; an
overstepping of the bounds of reverence, respect, or
courtesy; forward, overconfident, or arrogant opinion or
conduct; presumptuousness; arrogance; effrontery.

Thy son I killed for his presumption. --Shak.

I had the presumption to dedicate to you a very
unfinished piece. --Dryden.

{Conclusive presumption}. See under {Conclusive}.

{Presumption of fact} (Law), an argument of a fact from a
fact; an inference as to the existence of one fact not
certainly known, from the existence of some other fact
known or proved, founded on a previous experience of their
connection; supposition of the truth or real existence of
something, without direct or positive proof of the fact,
but grounded on circumstantial or probable evidence which
entitles it to belief. --Burrill. --Best. --Wharton.

{Presumption of law} (Law), a postulate applied in advance to
all cases of a particular class; e. g., the presumption of
innocence and of regularity of records. Such a presumption
is rebuttable or irrebuttable.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

presumption
n 1: an assumption that is taken for granted [syn: {given}, {precondition}]
2: (law) an inference of the truth of a fact from other facts
proved or admitted or judicially noticed
3: audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right
to; "he despised them for their presumptuousness" [syn: {presumptuousness},
{effrontery}, {assumption}]
4: a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming;
"his presumption was intolerable"


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