Part 995

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!

Shak.

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.

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Sup*pose" (?), v. i. To make supposition; to think; to be of opinion. Acts ii. 15.

Sup*pose", n. Supposition. [Obs.] Shak. "A base suppose that he is honest." Dryden.

Sup*pose"er (?), n. One who supposes.

Sup`po*si"tion (?), n. [F. supposition, L. suppositio a placing under, a substitution, fr. supponere, suppositium, to put under, to substitute. The word has the meaning corresponding to suppose. See Sub-, and Position.] 1. The act of supposing, laying down, imagining, or considering as true or existing, what is known not to be true, or what is not proved.

2. That which is supposed; hypothesis; conjecture; surmise; opinion or belief without sufficient evidence.

This is only an infallibility upon supposition that if a thing be true, it is imposible to be false.

Tillotson.

He means are in supposition.

Shak.

Sup`po*si"tion*al (?), a. Resting on supposition; hypothetical; conjectural; supposed. South.

Sup*pos`i*ti"tious (?), a. [L. suppositicus. See Supposition.] 1. Fraudulently substituted for something else; not being what is purports to be; not genuine; spurious; counterfeit; as, a supposititious child; a supposititious writing. Bacon.

2. Suppositional; hypothetical. [R.] Woodward.

-- Sup*pos`i*ti"tious*ly, adv. -- Sup*pos`i*ti"tious*ness, n.

Sup*pos"i*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. suppositif.] Including or implying supposition, or hypothesis; supposed. -- Sup*pos"i*tive*ly, adv. Hammond.

Sup*pos"i*tive, n. A word denoting or implying supposition, as the words if, granting, provided, etc. Harris.