[syn: presumption, presumptuousness, effrontery, assumption]
4. a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming;
- Example: "his presumption was intolerable"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Ground for presuming; evidence probable, but not
conclusive; strong probability; reasonable supposition;
as, the presumption is that an event has taken place.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Thy son I killed for his presumption. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
I had the presumption to dedicate to you a very
unfinished piece. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
presumption
n 1: an assumption that is taken for granted [syn: given,
presumption, 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:
presumption, presumptuousness, effrontery,
assumption]
4: a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming;
"his presumption was intolerable"