premise

American  

[prem-is] / ˈprɛm ɪs /

noun

1. Logic. Also premiss. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.

   Synonyms:

   postulate, assumption

2. premises,

   1. a tract of land including its buildings.

   2. a building together with its grounds or other appurtenances.

   3. the property forming the subject of a conveyance or bequest.

3. Law.

   1. a basis, stated or assumed, on which reasoning proceeds.

   2. an earlier statement in a document.

   3. (in a bill in equity) the statement of facts upon which the complaint is based.

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verb (used with object)

premised, premising

1. to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation.

2. to assume, either explicitly or implicitly, (a proposition) as a premise for a conclusion.

   Synonyms:

   hypothesize, postulate

verb (used without object)

premised, premising

1. to state or assume a premise.

premise British  

noun

1. Also: premiss.  logic a statement that is assumed to be true for the purpose of an argument from which a conclusion is drawn

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verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to state or assume (a proposition) as a premise in an argument, theory, etc

Other Word Forms

• repremise verb

Etymology

Origin of premise

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English premiss, from Medieval Latin praemissa, noun use of feminine of Latin praemissus, past participle of praemittere “to send before,” equivalent to prae- “before, in front, ahead,” + mittere “to send”; pre-

Example Sentences

Vehicles leave the Ecuador's Foreign Ministry premises as officials hold a meeting with the Colombian delegation on the tariff dispute, which has intensified in recent weeks.

From Barron's

Think small, perishable, and plausibly ironic like a single excellent chocolate bar, a slim paperback with a clever premise, or a novelty that suggests taste rather than effort.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has been alleged that RT Diagnostics, which made £6.67m in three weeks, was set up in "shoddy and inadequate premises" in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and gave out false negative results to customers.

From BBC

Ferguson, who owns several other premises in the Northern Quarter and beyond, said he still worried about the future.

From BBC

"Based on the evidence available, the investigation has now concluded and there is no continuing risk to people who visit the premises."

From BBC

Related Words

• assertion
• assumption
• basis
• ground
• presumption
• proposition
• thesis