premises
Britishplural noun
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a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business
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law
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(in a deed, etc) the matters referred to previously; the aforesaid; the foregoing
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the introductory part of a grant, conveyance, etc
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law (in the US) the part of a bill in equity that states the names of the parties, details of the plaintiff's claims, etc
Explanation
The premises of a property consist of the land and buildings on it, usually of a business or organization. If there are no dogs allowed on the premises of a school, you'll have to leave your furry friend at home. A game of hide-and-go-seek where you can’t leave the house will go a lot faster than one that permits hiding anywhere on the premises, including outdoors. Premises has another, unrelated meaning — it can also be the assumption or hypothesis from which a conclusion is drawn. The English writer Samuel Butler said, “Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.” Meaning, much of life is about guesswork.
Vocabulary lists containing premises
Holes
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The person then reportedly "panicked and left the premises" after realising what had happened, according to the Ofcom statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
One thing to note: There are no TVs on the premises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Prosecutors said Bush ran a "shambolic and chaotic" operation at the Hessle Road premises and his "appalling" offending had caused "extreme emotional pain, anguish and upset".
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
The fire brigade saved "not just our home but our business premises too", said Manu Goncalves, doling out portions of roast chicken alongside his neighbours' courgettes with his son Theo and niece Manon.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
We interpreted this as an effort by the authorities to put us out of business, and occupied our premises illegally, with threats of eviction constantly hanging over our heads.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
