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.
Last week a café owner warned the situation was at a "tipping point" after his premises were targeted.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
"I work close to the Legacy premises... and drive past it every day. Knowing now that mum was lying inside for almost eight months destroys me," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The body of Muriel Winning, who died aged 61 in 2023, was found at the premises seven and a half months after her death.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
That, combined with big upward adjustments to rateable values of pub premises, left landlords with the prospect of much higher rates bills.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Another implies that the food is not cooked on the premises and instead is imported from the best restaurants in London, paid extra to stay open for the late hour.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
