presumption
(prɪˈzʌm(p)ʃən)
Forms: 3 presumciun, 4 -sumpciun, 4– presumption; also 4–5 -som(p)cion, -sumpsion(e, 4–6 -cio(u)n(e, -cyon, 5 -sumcyoun(e, -sumpscione, 6 Sc. -tioun, 7 -sumtion; 7 præ-.
[ME. a. OF. presumpcion (12–13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), presompcion, mod.F. présomption = Sp. presuncion, It. presunzione, ad. L. præsumptiōn-em a taking beforehand, anticipation, in late L. confidence, audacity, n. of action f. præsūmĕre to presume.]
† 1. Seizure and occupation without right; usurpation; presumptuous assumption (of an office): cf. presume v. 3 b. Obs. rare.
| [? a 1135 Leges Henrici I, c. 10 §1 (Schmid 442) Praemeditatus assultus; robaria, stretbreche; praesumptio terrae vel pecuniae regis.] 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) II. 147 So that peple, of robbers made inhabitatores, occupiede the northe partes of Briteyne thro presumpcion. Ibid. VII. 181 Stigandus..entrede the seete of Wynchestre by presumpcion and supportacion [L. Wyntoniensem sedem invaserat]. 1565 Harding Confut. Apol. vi. xix. 333 In their presumption of that office they are not duly called vnto. 1809–10 Coleridge Friend (1844) I. 34 An office which cannot be procured gratis. The industry, necessary for the due exercise of its functions, is its purchase-money: and the absence..of the same..implies a presumption in the literal..sense of the word. |
2. The taking upon onself of more than is warranted by one's position, right, or (formerly) ability; forward or over-confident opinion or conduct; arrogance, pride, effrontery, assurance.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 208 Nis hit þe spece of prude þet ich cleopede presumciun. 1340 Ayenb. 17 Þe þridde [boȝ of prede is] ouerweninge þet we clepeþ presumcion. 1395 Purvey Remonstr. (1851) 131 To compel alle cristen men to belieue ech determination of the church of Rome is a blinde and open presumption of Lucifer and antichrist. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xxiii. 78 (Add. MS.) Thou shalt go to my lord, and there thou shalt aunswere of thyn presumpscion. 1535 Coverdale 2 Sam. vi. 7 God smote him there because of his presumpcion, so that he dyed there besyde the Arke of God. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 154 But most it is presumption in vs, when The help of heauen we count the act of men. 1789 Belsham Ess. II. xli. 544 It would be great presumption in me to attempt a reply. 1875 Manning Mission H. Ghost iv. 107 Presumption is a confidence founded upon ourselves. |
3. The assuming or taking of something for granted; also, that which is presumed or assumed to be, or to be true, on probable evidence; a belief deduced from facts or experience; assumption, assumed probability, supposition, expectation.
| 13.. Cursor M. 27800 (Cott.) O þis bicums presumpcion, Þat es hoping of vnreson. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 42 Þei puyteþ forþ presumpciun to preue þe soþe. c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶440 By certeyne presumpcions and coniectynges I holde and bileeue that God..hath suffred this bityde by Iuste cause resonable. 1533 More Debell. Salem Wks. 981/1 A man may sometime be so suspecte of felony by reason of sore presumpcions, that though no man saw hym doe it..yet may he be founden giltye of it. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 150 Others haue done the contrary, rather vpon a presumption then any reason which they haue to doe so. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 230 They..never order any to be tortured, but upon very great presumptions. 1747 Gould Eng. Ants 53 It will be proper to shew on what Presumptions it is grounded. 1838 De Morgan Ess. Probab. 91 We do not know the contents of the urn, but only the result of a certain number of drawings, from which we can draw presumptions..about the whole contents. 1846 Grote Greece i. xxi. II. 160 The presumptions are all against it. 1881 Westcott & Hort Grk. N.T. Introd. §8 The..presumption that a relatively late text is likely to be a relatively corrupt text. |
b. spec. in Law. presumption of fact: the inference of a fact not certainly known, from known facts. presumption of law: (a) the assumption of the truth of anything until the contrary is proved; (b) an inference established by the law as universally applicable to certain circumstances.
| 1596 Bacon Max. & Use Com. Law i. v. (1636) 25 So great a perturbation of the judgment and reason as in presumption of law mans nature cannot overcome. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. ix. 146 Having sown the land, which is for the good of the public, upon a reasonable presumption, the law will not suffer him to be a loser by it. 1844 Greenleaf Law Evid. I. iv. §14. 75 Presumptions of Law consist of those rules, which, in certain cases, either forbid or dispense with any ulterior inquiry. 1877 Wharton Law Evid. II. §1226. 440 A presumption of fact is a logical argument from a fact to a fact; or..it is an argument which infers a fact otherwise doubtful, from a fact which is proved. 1895 Pitt-Taylor's Law Evid. (ed. 9) I. v. 69 Presumptive evidence is usually divided into two branches, namely, presumptions of law, and presumptions of fact. Presumptions of law consist of those rules, which, in certain cases, either forbid or dispense with any ulterior inquiry. Presumptions of law are sub-divided into two classes, namely, conclusive and disputable. |
4. A ground or reason for presuming or believing; presumptive evidence.
| 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 13 If you will now aske me what presumption I haue then to charge him more then another..I will answere you. 1658 Bramhall Consecr. Bps. v. 132 If the strongest presumtion in the world may have any place. 1771 Junius Lett. xliv. (1820) 239 The presumption is strongly against them. 1838–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. I. i. iv. §81. 323 There seems strong internal presumption against the authenticity of these epistles. 1880 Carpenter in 19th Cent. Apr. 614 The presumption is altogether very strong, that these vast masses have originally formed part of a great ice-sheet, formed by the cumulative pressure of successive snow-falls. |