All 6 Uses of
presume
in
The Purloined Letter
- D—, I presume, is not altogether a fool, and, if not, must have anticipated...
*presume = assume
- We opened every possible drawer; and I presume you know that, to a properly trained police agent, such a thing as a secret drawer is impossible.†
- I presume you looked to the mirrors, between the boards and the plates, and you probed the beds and the bed-clothes, as well as the curtains and carpets.†
- I presume you have at last made up your mind that there is no such thing as overreaching the Minister?†
*
- …are adapted only for ordinary occasions, and would be adopted only by ordinary intellects; for, in all cases of concealment, a disposal of the article concealed—a disposal of it in this recherche manner,—is, in the very first instance, presumable and presumed; and thus its discovery depends, not at all upon the acumen, but altogether upon the mere care, patience, and determination of the seekers; and where the case is of importance—or, what amounts to the same thing in the policial…†
- …only for ordinary occasions, and would be adopted only by ordinary intellects; for, in all cases of concealment, a disposal of the article concealed—a disposal of it in this recherche manner,—is, in the very first instance, presumable and presumed; and thus its discovery depends, not at all upon the acumen, but altogether upon the mere care, patience, and determination of the seekers; and where the case is of importance—or, what amounts to the same thing in the policial eyes, when…†
Definitions:
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(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.
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(presumptuous as in: she is presumptuous) exercising privileges to which one is not entitled -- such as being too familiar or too bossy