2 VERB If you say that someone presumes to do something, you mean that they do it even though they have no right to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] They're resentful that outsiders presume to meddle in their affairs.
3 VERB If an idea, theory, or plan presumes certain facts, it regards them as true so that they can be used as a basis for further ideas and theories. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The legal definition of 'know' often presumes mental control. □ [V that] The arrangement presumes that both lenders and borrowers are rational.
pre|sump|tion /pr I zʌ mpʃ ə n/ (presumptions )
1 N‑COUNT A presumption is something that is accepted as true but is not certain to be true. □ …the presumption that a defendant is innocent until proved guilty.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you describe someone's behaviour as presumption , you disapprove of it because they are doing something that they have no right to do. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ They were angered by his presumption.
pre|sump|tu|ous /pr I zʌ mptʃuəs/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone or their behaviour as presumptuous , you disapprove of them because they are doing something that they have no right or authority to do. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It would be presumptuous to judge what the outcome will be.
pre|sup|pose /priː səpoʊ z/ (presupposes , presupposing , presupposed ) VERB If one thing presupposes another, the first thing cannot be true or exist unless the second thing is true or exists. □ [V that] All your arguments presuppose that he's a rational, intelligent man. □ [V n] The end of an era presupposes the start of another.
pre|sup|po|si|tion /priː sʌpəz I ʃ ə n/ (presuppositions ) N‑COUNT A presupposition is something that you assume to be true, especially something which you must assume is true in order to continue with what you are saying or thinking. [FORMAL ] □ …the presupposition that human life must be sustained for as long as possible.
pre -ta x also pretax ADJ [ADJ n] Pre-tax profits or losses are the total profits or losses made by a company before tax has been taken away. [BUSINESS ] □ Storehouse made pre-tax profits of £3.1m. ● ADV [ADV after v] Pre-tax is also an adverb. □ Last year it made £2.5m pre-tax.
pre -tee n (pre-teens ) also preteen N‑COUNT [oft N n] A pre-teen is a child aged between nine and thirteen. □ Some preteens are able to handle a good deal of responsibility. □ …pre-teen children.
pre|tence /pr I te ns, [AM ] priː tens/ (pretences ) in AM, use pretense 1 N‑VAR A pretence is an action or way of behaving that is intended to make people believe something that is not true. □ [+ of ] Welland made a pretence of writing a note in his pad. □ We have to go along with the pretence that things are getting better.
2 PHRASE If you do something under false pretences , you do it when people do not know the truth about you and your intentions. □ I could not go on living with a man who had married me under false pretences.
pre|tend /pr I te nd/ (pretends , pretending , pretended )
1 VERB If you pretend that something is the case, you act in a way that is intended to make people believe that it is the case, although in fact it is not. □ [V that] I pretend that things are really okay when they're not. □ [V to-inf] Sometimes the boy pretended to be asleep. □ [V n] I had no option but to pretend ignorance.
2 VERB If children or adults pretend that they are doing something, they imagine that they are doing it, for example as part of a game. □ [V that] She can sunbathe and pretend she's in Spain. □ [V to-inf] The children pretend to be different animals dancing to the music.
3 VERB [with neg] If you do not pretend that something is the case, you do not claim that it is the case. □ [V that] We do not pretend that the past six years have been without problems for us. □ [V to-inf] Within this lecture I cannot pretend to deal adequately with dreams.
pre|tend|er /pr I te ndə r / (pretenders ) N‑COUNT [adj N ] A pretender to a position is someone who claims the right to that position, and whose claim is disputed by others. □ [+ to ] …the Comte de Paris, pretender to the French throne.
pre|tense /pr I te ns, [AM ] priː tens/ → see pretence
pre|ten|sion /pr I te nʃ ə n/ (pretensions )
1 N‑VAR If you say that someone has pretensions , you disapprove of them because they claim or pretend that they are more important than they really are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] Her wide-eyed innocence soon exposes the pretensions of the art world. □ We like him for his honesty, his lack of pretension.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [N to-inf] If someone has pretensions to something, they claim to be or do that thing. □ [+ to ] The city has unrealistic pretensions to world-class status.
pre|ten|tious /pr I te nʃəs/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is pretentious , you mean that they try to seem important or significant, but you do not think that they are. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His response was full of pretentious nonsense. ● pre|ten|tious|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ He has a tendency towards pretentiousness.
pre|ter|natu|ral /priː tə r næ tʃrəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Preternatural abilities, qualities, or events are very unusual in a way that might make you think that unknown forces are involved. [FORMAL ] □ Parents had an almost preternatural ability to understand what was going on in their children's minds. ● pre|ter|natu|ral|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ It was suddenly preternaturally quiet.
pre|text /priː tekst/ (pretexts ) N‑COUNT A pretext is a reason which you pretend has caused you to do something. □ [+ for ] They wanted a pretext for subduing the region by force.