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Webster 1913 Edition

Suppose

Sup-pose′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Supposed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Supposing
.]
[F.
supposer
; pref.
sub-
under +
poser
to place; – corresponding in meaning to L.
supponere
,
suppositum
, to put under, to substitute, falsify, counterfeit. See
Pose
.]
1.
To represent to one’s self, or state to another, not as true or real, but as if so, and with a view to some consequence or application which the reality would involve or admit of; to imagine or admit to exist, for the sake of argument or illustration; to assume to be true; as, let us suppose the earth to be the center of the system, what would be the result?
Suppose
they take offence without a cause.
Shakespeare
When we have as great assurance that a thing is, as we could possibly,
supposing
it were, we ought not to make any doubt of its existence.
Tillotson.
2.
To imagine; to believe; to receive as true.
How easy is a bush
supposed
a bear!
Shakespeare
Let not my lord
suppose
that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead.
2 Sam. xiii. 32.
3.
To require to exist or to be true; to imply by the laws of thought or of nature;
as, purpose
supposes
foresight
.
One falsehood always
supposes
another, and renders all you can say suspected.
Female Quixote.
4.
To put by fraud in the place of another.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To imagine; believe; conclude; judge; consider; view; regard; conjecture; assume.

Sup-pose′

,
Verb.
I.
To make supposition; to think; to be of opinion.
Acts ii. 15.

Sup-pose′

,
Noun.
Supposition.
[Obs.]
Shak.
“A base suppose that he is honest.”
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition

Suppose

SUPPOSE

,
Verb.
T.
suppo'ze. [L. suppositus, suppono.]
1.
To lay down or state as a proposition or fact that may exist or be true, though not known or believed to be true or to exist; or to imagine or admit to exist, for the sake of argument or illustration. Let us suppose the earth to be the center of the system, what would be the consequence?
When we have as great assurance that a thing is, as we could possibly, supposing it were, we ought not to doubt of its existence.
2.
To imagine; to believe; to receive as true.
Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all young men, the king's sons; for Ammon only is dead. 2 Sam.13.
3.
To imagine; to think.
I suppose,
If our proposals once again were heard--
4.
To require to exist or be true. The existence of things supposes the existence of a cause of the things.
One falsehood supposes another, and renders all you say suspected.
5.
To put one thing by fraud in the place of another. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

suppose

suppose

See also: supposé

English

Verb

suppose ‎(third-person singular simple present supposes, present participle supposing, simple past and past participle supposed)

  1. (transitive) To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe.
    Suppose that A implies B and B implies C. Then A implies C.‎
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 15, in The China Governess:
      ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’
  2. (transitive) To theorize or hypothesize.
    I suppose we all agree that this is the best solution.‎
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 5, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      Of all the queer collections of humans outside of a crazy asylum, it seemed to me this sanitarium was the cup winner. […] When you're well enough off so's you don't have to fret about anything but your heft or your diseases you begin to get queer, I suppose.
    • 2013 September 6, David Cox, “Celebrity rules even Hawking's universe”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 13, page 30:
      Just what is supposed to be wrong with the pursuit of fame is not always made clear. Plato disapproved of competition for praise on the grounds that it would tempt the great to bend to the will of the crowd. It is hard to argue with that, and social degradation remains a fear.
  3. To imagine; to believe; to receive as true.
    • William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
      How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
    • Bible, 2 Samuel xiii. 32
      Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead.
    • 1915, George A. Birmingham, “chapter I”, in Gossamer (Project Gutenberg; EBook #24394), London: Methuen & Co., published 8 January 2013 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 558189256:
      As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, […]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. […] I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.
  4. To require to exist or to be true; to imply by the laws of thought or of nature.
    Purpose supposes foresight.
  5. To put by fraud in the place of another.

Synonyms

  • assume (1,2)
  • See also Wikisaurus:suppose

Derived terms

Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: comes · stand · past · #502: suppose · else · entered · none

French

Verb

suppose

  1. first-person singular present indicative of supposer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of supposer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of supposer
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of supposer
  5. second-person singular imperative of supposer

Italian

Verb

suppose

  1. third-person singular past historic of supporre

Etymology

From Middle English supposen, a borrowing from Old French supposer, equivalent to prefix sub- under + poser ‎(“to place”); - corresponding in meaning to Latin supponere ‎(“to put under, to substitute, falsify, counterfeit”), suppositum. See pose.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /səˈpəʊz/, [səˈpʰəʊz]
  • (US) IPA(key): /səˈpoʊz/, [səˈpʰoʊz]
  • (syncope, contraction)
    • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈspəʊz/, [ˈspəʊz]
    • (US) IPA(key): /ˈspoʊz/, [ˈspoʊz]
  • Rhymes: -əʊz

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