presumes

Presumes is the third-person singular present tense of presume. The verb means to suppose something to be true based on reasonable grounds or evidence, or to take something as a given in order to reason, argue, or act, without having conclusive proof.

In ordinary use, presuming involves an assumption that is likely but not certain. It is commonly followed by a that-clause or by an object, as in “The report presumes the data are representative” or “The policy presumes reasonable care was taken.” Some writers distinguish presuming from guessing or speculating; presuming implies some justification, while guessing may imply less support.

In legal or formal contexts, presumption is a related concept in which a fact is regarded as true for purposes of the case under law until rebutted. The verb form “presumes” can appear in statutes, contracts, or judicial opinions, for example “The contract presumes consent by signature,” or in a sentence like “The law presumes innocence until proven guilty” (usually expressed as a presumption).

Etymology: The word derives from Latin praesumere, from prae- “before” and sumere “to take.”