premises
Britishplural noun
-
a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business
-
law
-
(in a deed, etc) the matters referred to previously; the aforesaid; the foregoing
-
the introductory part of a grant, conveyance, etc
-
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 1: Telling Details
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"They rent premises, they need advertising permits, and so on. So for many entities it's important to comply with a council decision, even if doesn't provide for sanctions for non-compliance. "
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
It wasn’t like today’s full-menu A&W restaurants—it sold root beer only, made fresh on the premises.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
A server built around the same four processors costs about $75,500 to put on your own premises.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026
At one bookshop event, she recalls government officials entering the premises.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
She had the impression of being seen off the premises.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
