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assume, presume
assume (uh SOOM) (verb)
1. To take for granted, to speculate: Sidney and Byron assume that they will see the speaker at the meeting the following week.
2. To take on, become responsible for, take care of: The new buyer will assume the mortgage on the house.
presume (pri ZOOM) (verb)
1. Take for granted, believe, deduce: Dr. Livingston, I presume?
2. To rely on too much: Lora wants to presume on Dylan's writing talents to compile her memoirs.

These words have related but distinguishable meanings

To assume is to take for granted, to infer without proof: "Mrs. Blake assumed that her husband had paid the bill."

To presume is to believe something to be a fact: to infer as true without actual proof to the contrary.

When Stanley came upon another explorer in Africa, he didn't say "Dr. Livingstone, I assume" but "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" This was because circumstances clearly indicated that the man he was meeting could be no one else.

In ordinary conversation; however, the words may be used interchangeably.

—Based on information from
Dictionary of Problem Words and Expressions
by Harry Shaw; McGraw-Hill Book Company;
New York; 1987; page 82.

Please, do not presume to second guess what Candice is going to say. She only wants to assume responsibility for her exact words.

presume (verb), presumes; presumed; presuming
1. To accept that something is virtually certain to be correct even though there is no proof of it on the grounds that it is extremely likely; to expect; to think to be a fact: Agatha assumed, supposed, or presumed that her children were at school since it was Monday and not Sunday!

Since Mark's firm is prosperous and his work has been very good, he presumes that he will be getting a raise very soon.
2. To behave so inconsiderably, disrespectfully, or over confidently as to do something without being entitled or qualified to do it; usually used in a negative sense: Sarah's fiancé presumed to be very important, bold, and shameless in her mother's home!

This entry is located in the following units: em-, emp-, empt-; sump-, -sum- (page 4) pre-, prae- (page 17)