Both Uses of
presume
in
The Scarlet Letter
- Nevertheless, vixenly as she looks, many people are seeking at this very moment to shelter themselves under the wing of the federal eagle; imagining, I presume, that her bosom has all the softness and snugness of an eiderdown pillow.
Chpt Intr.presume = assume
- None of them, I presume, had ever read a page of my inditing, or would have cared a fig the more for me if they had read them all;
Chpt Intr. *
Definition:
-
(presume as in: presumption of innocence) to think of something as true or likely, even though it is not known with certaintyeditor's notes: Something can be presumed because it seems reasonable or because there is a rule or law demanding such an assumption. For example, in the United States someone charged with a crime is presumed by law to be innocent unless they are proven guilty at a trial.