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definitions

premise

[prem-is]
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noun
  1. Also prem·iss. Logic. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.
  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.
verb (used with object), prem·ised, prem·is·ing.
  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.
verb (used without object), prem·ised, prem·is·ing.
  1. to state or assume a premise.

Origin of premise

1325–75; Middle English premiss < Medieval Latin praemissa, noun use of feminine of Latin praemissus past participle of praemittere to send before, equivalent to prae- pre- + mittere to send. See dismiss, remiss
Related formsre·prem·ise, verb, re·prem·ised, re·prem·is·ing.
Can be confusedassumption axiom premise presumptionpremise premises

Synonyms for premise

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1. assumption, postulate. 5. postulate, hypothesize.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for premises

office, house, scene, terrace, home, campus, layout, zone, fix, pad, establishment, flat, plant, hangout, spot, joint, lay, land, roof, place

Examples from the Web for premises

Contemporary Examples of premises

Historical Examples of premises

British Dictionary definitions for premises

premises

pl n
  1. a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business
  2. law
    1. (in a deed, etc) the matters referred to previously; the aforesaid; the foregoing
    2. the introductory part of a grant, conveyance, etc
  3. 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

premise

noun (ˈprɛmɪs)
  1. Also: premiss logic a statement that is assumed to be true for the purpose of an argument from which a conclusion is drawn
verb (prɪˈmaɪz, ˈprɛmɪs)
  1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to state or assume (a proposition) as a premise in an argument, theory, etc

Word Origin for premise

C14: from Old French prémisse, from Medieval Latin praemissa sent on before, from Latin praemittere to dispatch in advance, from prae before + mittere to send
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for premises
n.

"building and grounds," 1730; see premise (n.).

premise

n.

late 14c., in logic, "a previous proposition from which another follows," from Old French premisse (14c.), from Medieval Latin premissa (propositio or sententia) "(the proposition) set before," noun use of fem. past participle of Latin praemittere "send forward, put before," from prae "before" (see pre-) + mittere "to send" (see mission). In legal documents it meant "matter previously stated" (early 15c.), which in deeds or wills often was a house or building, hence the extended meaning "house or building, with grounds" (1730).

premise

v.

"to state before something else," mid-15c., from premise (n.). Related: Premised; premising.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper