Also 4 sopos, 4–5 sopose, (chiefly Sc.) suppos, -oss, 5 Sc. suppoiss, 5–6 supose, Sc. suppois, 6 supoose, Sc. suppoise, supos. [a. OF. sup(p)oser, (mod.F. supposer), f. sup- = SUB- 2 + poser POSE v.1, to represent L. supposit-, suppōnĕre SUPPONE v.]
† 1. trans. To hold as a belief or opinion; to believe as a fact; to think, be of opinion. Usually const. clause; also with obj. and compl., acc. and inf., rarely with simple obj. Obs.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 3776. We shuld trow, and suppose ay Þat alle er save … Þat we se here gude werkes wirk, And has þe sacramentes of halikyrk.
1357. Lay Folks’ Catech. (L.), 163. Aue Maria. Men gretyþ comunly oure lady … and we suppose þat þis gretynge sauys many a man.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 577. Be many cause at I ken I kan noȝt supose It be consayued of my kynde ne come of my-selfe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 2317. We might say this for certen, & suppose it in hert.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xiii. 57. Lamech slew Cayn with ane arowe, supposing he had bene a wylde beste.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Merlin, 1084 (Kölbing). This ne may non child be: It is the devel, ful sykirle;… We supposen, it be a devel of helle!
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xviii. 241. It semeth … said kynge Arthur that ye knowe his name, and fro when he is come … I suppose I doo so said Launcelot or els I wold not haue yeuen hym thordre of knyȝthode.
1483. Caxton, Cato, b ij b. That euery man may suppose and saye good of the.
c. 1500. Melusine, 3. Many thinges, which men suposen not to be true.
1509. Fisher, Funeral Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 297. Suppose not ye … she wolde … as feruently haue mynystred vnto hym as euer dyde Martha?
1526. Tindale, 2 Cor. xi. 5. I suppose that I was nott be hynde the chefe apostles.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, ii. 38. Joying that our academy yields A man suppos’d the wonder of the world.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. iv. 29. Let him that is a true-borne Gentleman,… If he suppose that I haue pleaded truth, From off this Bryer pluck a white Rose with me. Ibid., V. iii. 110. Would you not suppose Your bondage happy, to be made a Queene?
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., iii. 48. While we suppose common wormes in graves, ’tis not easie to finde any there.
† b. with as, ellipt., and in parenthetical phr.
Cf. dial. I suppose = I understand, believe or know: see Eng. Dial. Dict.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 174. But for al that I schal noght glose Of trouthe als fer as I suppose.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., Prol. Alle the conclusiouns that han ben fownde,… ben vn-knowe perfitly to any mortal man in this regioun, as I suppose.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 842*. Who am I þat am here, as þou supposez?
1465. Paston Lett., II. 233. John Pampyng knowyth hym well jnow I suppose.
1469. in Somerset Med. Wills (1901), 216. Two pair of hosis, price I suppose 8s.
1509. Fisher, Funeral Serm. C’tess Richmond, Wks. (1876), 290. In euery of these I suppose this countesse was noble.
1556. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 215. I have made a Comodie … mete as it is supposed to be played before the Quene.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Mallet, Wks. IV. 283. Glover rejected, I suppose, with disdain the legacy.
† c. Const. inf.: To believe that one does or is (so-and-so). Obs.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. iii. (1883), 105. They supposid well to haue knowen many other thynges.
c. 1500. Melusine, 30. Thou hast slayn thy lord … how be it that at that ooure thou supposest not to haue doon it.
1601. Dolman, La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618), III. 706. Some suppose to haue a very good foundation for judiciall astrologie.
1681. Rycaut, trans. Gracian’s Critick, 114. One had his eyes so dazled, that he supposed to see that which he never beheld.
† d. intr. with inverted const.: To seem. rare–1.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 128. Bot al to lytel him supposeth, Thogh he mihte al the world pourchace.
† 2. To form an idea of, conceive, imagine; to apprehend, guess. Also intr. with of. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 786. Who wolde leeue, or who wolde suppose The wo that in myn herte was?
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 116. The king supposeth of this wo, And feigneth as he noght ne wiste. Ibid., 199. Tho sche supposeth what it mente. Ibid., III. 78. This yonge lord … axeth if that he supposeth What deth he schal himselve deie.
c. 1450. Merlin, ii. 25. When thei herde these words, supposed wele what he ment.
1566. [see SUPPOSE sb. 1].
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. i. 186. More furious raging broyles, Then yet can be imagin’d or suppos’d. Ibid. (c. 1600), Sonn., lvii. 10. Nor dare I question … Where you may be, or your affaires suppose.
1781. Mrs. Inchbald, I’ll tell you what, V. i. If you cou’d suppose how obstinate Sir George was.
† 3. To have in mind or as an object of thought or speculation; to think of, conceive, imagine; contextually, to suspect. Obs.
c. 1375. [see SUPPOSING vbl. sb. 2].
1382. Wyclif, 2 Macc. iii. 32. Lest … the kyng supposide eny malice of Jewis … done aȝeinus Helyodore.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 71. Sche, which al honour supposeth. Ibid., III. 72. The queene tolde him al the cas As sche that guile non supposeth.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 216. Þe semblaunt of susan wolde non suppose.
1586. A. Day, Engl. Secretorie, I. (1625), 78. You must suppose and harpe vpon the end that must succeed vnto your trauaile.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 133. When great treasure is the meede proposed, Though death be adiunct, ther’s no death supposed. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., III. Chor. 3. Suppose, that you haue seene The … King at Douer Peer, Embarke his Royaltie.
† b. To attribute (something) to a person. rare.
13[?]. Coer de L., 1725. Thou art mys-tought, To have on me swylk a thought,… And swylke a treson to me sopos.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 155. The ancientest Scepter among the Graecians must forsooth be suppos’d to Iupiter.
† c. To suspect (a person). Obs.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Feb. 1684. Then were … tried and … find Mr. Hampden and others for being suppos’d of the late Plot.
1763. Johnson, Lett., 29 Sept., in Misc. Philobib. Soc. (1860–1), VI. 34. You suppose your housekeeper … of treachery.
† 4. Const. inf., acc. and inf., or obj. clause referring to the future, rarely with simple obj.: To expect. Obs.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6970. Whan Seynt Ihon herde þat seye, Þat Troyle supposed for to deye.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 49. If thou wolt my schrifte oppose Fro point to point, thanne I suppose, Ther schal nothing be left.
c. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 95. Þe tre es funden whilk we suppose Sall ger vs all oure pouwer lose.
1426. Paston Lett., I. 26. I suppose to see yow on Palm Sunday.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), Introd. 5. We dede dryve A cruel tyraunth in to a fen … Wher I supposed to have myschevyd.
1456. Paston Lett., I. 374. Yn the ende of thys terme y suppose to be at London.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. iii. (1883), 100. He was ryght seeke And … men supposid hym to dye.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1260. Wofully he went to his bed … Supposynge some dethe withouten any remedy.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. ccxlviii. 762. It were to suppose, that if the erles of Huntyngton and of Salysbury were alyue … the Frenchmen then wolde soone passe ouer the see.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 61. The Lord of Hymbercourt marched straight to the City, supposing to enter without resistance.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1443. Wherefore comes old Manoa in such hast … supposing here to find his Son?
1760. Impostors Detected, II. v. I. 193. I never supposed … to have had this grant for nothing.
† 5. Const. inf.: To purpose, intend. Obs.
c. 1450. [see SUPPOSING vbl. sb. 3].
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. i. (1882), 22. Whan he sawe Alixandre he supposid to haue axid his requeste.
c. 1500. Melusine, 224. It is the kinge of Anssav [etc.] with theire puyssaunce that supposen to goo reyse the siege of praghe.
6. To assume (without reference to truth or falsehood) as a basis of argument, or for the purpose of tracing the consequences; to frame as a hypothesis; to put as an imaginary case; to posit. Chiefly with clause as obj.; also with simple obj., obj. and compl., acc. and inf.
c. 1315. [see 7 a].
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVII. 293. I pose [v.r. sopose] I hadde synned so, and shulde now deye.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 284. Here we schal suppose as Cristen mennes bileue, þat god is cheef lord.
c. 1420. 26 Pol. Poems, 106. I suppose þe prest haue but on ost, Breke it, and parte to twenty and mo: As moche is þe leste cost As in þe grettest pece of þo.
1697. trans. Burgersdicius’ Logic, II. ix. 42. Suppose Aristotle, or the like instead of Man, and make an Expository Syllogism, with it. Ibid., xvii. 72. First, supposing the Species, you suppose also the Genus.
1726. Swift, Horace, Ode, I. xiv. 7. Let me suppose thee for a ship a-while, And thus address thee in the sailor’s style.
1728. Law, Serious C., x. (1729), 143. Now do but suppose a man acting unreasonably; do but suppose him extinguishing his reason.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Sat., II. iii. 221. Let us suppose you heard An able doctor [etc.].
1749. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. i. § 2. 60. Let us suppose the first Object to impress the Vibrations A, and then to be removed.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xvi. Which … might … do more harm than good in the case supposed.
1818. Byron, Juan, I. lxxxv. I only say, suppose this supposition.
1823. H. J. Brooke, Introd. Crystallogr., 157. If we suppose the octahedron to be placed with its axis horizontally.
1835. J. Young, Lect. Intell. Philos., xxvii. 273. There is a great difference … between supposing an absurdity and conceiving it.
1875. Jevons, Money (1878), 254. As a second case, let us suppose that there is a town which is able to support two banks.
1889. O. Fisher, Physics Earth’s Crust, xx. (ed. 2), 268. The closeness of the folds of a crumpled rock, formed as supposed, would depend upon [etc.].
1906. A. E. H. Love, Math. Th. Elasticity, i. (ed. 2), 33. We suppose that the axis of x is the direction in which contraction takes place.
7. Often in imper. or pres. pple. absol., introducing a hypothetical statement or case. a. with clause as obj.
c. 1315. Shoreham, VII. 445. Suppose here hijs [= is] o iustyse, God and truwe.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. i. 14. Suppose they take offence without a cause.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 237. Suppose he should relent … with what eyes could we Stand in his presence?
1709. J. Ward, Introd. Math. (1734), 435. Suppose the Length of a Brewer’s … Back … be 217,5 Inches.
1721. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VIII. 305. They shall cause to be said thrice thirty Masses for Mother Abbesse, supposing she dyes.
1728. Law, Serious C., ix. (1729), 128. Suppose I had pressed an universal temperance, does not religion enough justify such a doctrine?
1862. Ruskin, Unto this Last, i. § 24. Supposing the captain of a frigate saw it right … to place his own son in the position of a common sailor.
1871. Browning, Pr. Hohenstiel-Schwangau, 7. Suppose my Œdipus should lurk at last Under a pork-pie hat and crinoline.
1904. W. E. Norris, Nature’s Comedian, xi. My objections—supposing I had any—wouldn’t give you a sleepless night, I imagine.
(b) colloq. introducing a suggestion or proposal.
1779. Mirror, No. 34, ¶ 9. ‘Suppose one of the ladies should give us an English song,’ said I.—‘’Tis a good motion,’ said Mr Bearskin, ‘I second it.’
1806. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (ed. 3), II. xiv. Suppose we pass to some of the less ignoble Miseries of the country.
1844. D. Jerrold, Story of Feather, xxviii. 166. Suppose you go to sleep, that you may get up time enough to mend them holes in my stockings?
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, iii. 24. By the way, supposing you were to drop ‘uncle-ing’ me?
b. with acc. and inf.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., I. ix. (1811), 13. It shulde seme yt Troynouant, or London, was buylded before … Yorke aboute an hondreth and xl. yeres; supposynge the Cytie of London to be begonne in the seconde yere of Brutes reygne.
1590. Lucar, Lucarsolace, III. xlii. 136. Supposing ABCD to be the assigned square, diuide any one side therof into two equal parts.
1678–9. Stillingfl., Serm., 7 March, Wks. 1710, I. 257. Suppose a man to have riches and honours.
1734. J. Ward, Yng. Math. Guide, 305. Suppose the ▵ BCD to be an Isosceles ▵.
1861. Lund, J. Wood’s Elem. Alg., 237. Supposing ○ to be excluded as a value of either x or y.
c. with obj. and compl.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 391. Suppose Twenty Mules, Thirty Asses,… more or less committed to their Care.
1766. Fordyce, Serm. Yng. Women (1767), I. iii. 85. Suppose me speaking to you as a brother.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., vi. You would have me believe that my noble lord is jealous? Suppose it true, I know a cure for jealousy.
1855. Browning, In a Balcony, 280. Suppose her some poor keeper of a school.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, i. § 32. Supposing them sculptors, will not the same rule hold? Ibid. (1867), Time & Tide, ii. § 7. Even supposing a gradual rise in social rank possible for all well-conducted persons.
d. In imper. parenthetically or ellipt.; often ‘as (for example),’ ‘say.’ Now rare or Obs.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades, i. (1592), 8. Moses … was borne … of those fathers whom God appointed to be witnesses of his will,… suppose Amram, Kahad, Iacob, Sem, Methusalem and Adam.
1631. Chapman, Cæsar & Pompey, Plays, 1873, III. 175. Cato. But is not euery iust man to him selfe The perfect’st law? Ath. Suppose.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. 12. That we are to exist hereafter in a State as different suppose from our present [etc.]. Ibid., II. v. 196. A Person … breaks his Limbs, suppose. Ibid., II. vi. 216. If there be a strong Bias within, suppose from indulged Passion.
1800. Scott, Lett., in Lockhart, x. To treat with the proprietors of some established paper—suppose the Caledonian Mercury.
1831. Brewster, Optics, iv. 38. M N is a dense medium (suppose glass).
e. The imperative became equivalent to a hypothetical conjunction = If; usually, even if, albeit, though, although. Sc.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 2. Storyss to rede ar delitabill, Supposs that thai be nocht bot fabill.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xviii. (Egipciane), 249. Suppos at I mane synful be, A-byde a lytil & spek with me.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, I. 374. It dide him gud, suppos he sufferyt payne. Ibid., X. 823. Supposs we murn, ye suld haiff no mer waill.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 1070. His hawbrek helpit, suppos he had no scheld.
1533. Gau, Richt Vay, 51. Thay cuir noth supos God haiff the hewine alen, sua that thay mycht lewe heir sa lang as thay vald.
c. 1560. A. Scott, Poems (S. T. S.), ix. 2. Considdir, hairt, my trew intent, Suppois I am not eloquent. Ibid., xi. 27. To Venus als suppois ȝe wyle thame—Ressoun; Bot be ȝe frawdfull and begyle thame—Tressoun.
1585. Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 60. Thir indifferent wordis, composit of dyuers syllabes, are rare, suppose in monosyllabes, commoun.
1618. A. Simson, Serm. John v. 35, in Wodrow Soc. Sel. Biog. (1845), I. 124. He giveth the name of the light to John, suppose the light John had, he had it from Christ.
1775. Shirrefs, Christmas Feast, xiv. Poems (1790), 213. For John o’ pipe-skill wasna scant, Suppose I say ’t.
1867. [Mrs. E. Allardyce], Goodwife at Home, xiii.
| I wyte her squeelin’s nae been hain’t, | |
| Suppose I say’t mysel; | |
| She’ll read as clare’s the Dominie, | |
| An’s feerious at the spell. |
8. trans. To entertain as an idea or notion sufficiently probable to be practically assumed as true, or to be at least admitted as possibly true, on account of consistency with the known facts of the case; to infer hypothetically; to incline to think: sometimes implying mistaken belief.
Idiomatically: Do you suppose...? is used to express an indignant rejection of a suggestion or proposal; you may suppose = you may be pretty sure.
a. with clause as obj.
[1526. Tindale, Luke vii. 22. Which of them tell me, will love hym moost? Simon answered, and sayde: I suppose that he to whom he forgave moost.]
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 2. Neither let any man suppose that from wilines without force, nor force without iudgment, can proceed any proiect of worthy consideration.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 8. It being supposed that Cicero was there buried.
1710. Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 29 Sept. I drink no aile (I suppose you mean ale).
1766. Ld. Holland, in Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1843), II. 19. I suppose Lord March has a horse runs there, as I see he had at Ipswich.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., x. He … darted away from him with the swiftness of the wind, when his pursuer supposed he had nearly run him down.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxii. Where do you suppose New Jerusalem is, Uncle Tom?
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., II. xxiii. ‘Have any of you seen my microscope?’… Jane looked round. ‘My dear, I lent it to Patience to-day. I suppose she forgot to return it.’
1865. Lubbock, Preh. Times, 45. It has been supposed that tin was at one time abundant in Spain.
1883. Stevenson, Treasure Isl., III. xiii. ‘Jim, Jim!’ I heard him shouting. But you may suppose I paid no heed.
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, v. 43. I was not thinking of myself, but of you. Do you suppose that I want you to remain unmarried in order to secure my own position?
b. with as, so, or ellipt. in comparative clause.
1615. W. Lawson, Country Housew. Garden (1626), 7. The sap is the life of the tree,… neither doth the tree in winter (as is supposed) want his sap, no more then mans body his bloud.
1779. Mirror, No. 8, ¶ 4. That Mirror … is of higher value than you suppose.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, ix. ‘His sorrow must have been great.’ ‘I suppose so.’
1888. ‘J. S. Winter,’ Bootle’s Childr., vi. ‘Is she pretty?’… ‘Yes; I suppose so,’… ‘some people think so, but we never did.’
1902. Violet Jacob, Sheep-Stealers, xiv. The roads were no better than the old Squire had supposed.
c. with obj. and compl. (sb., adj. or adj. phr., † advb. phr.).
1634. Milton, Comus, 576. Supposing him som neighbour villager.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvi. 142. He that supposeth himself injured.
1671. R. Bohun, Wind, 302. These Miraculous Emotions of the Atmosphere can hardly be supposed from the agitation of common vapours of Air.
1692. Locke, Toleration, III. ix. Wks. 1727, II. 408. The Mass in France is as much suppos’d the Truth, as the Liturgy here.
1779. Mirror, No. 8, ¶ 3. I supposed his present of little intrinsic value.
c. 1780. Cowper, Jackdaw, i. There is a bird who, by his coat,… Might be suppos’d a crow.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxi. Those foibles which are chiefly supposed proper to the female sex.
1837. Wilkinson, Mann. & Cust. Anc. Egypt., ii. (1841), I. 65. M. Champollion supposes then the Scythians.
d. with acc. and inf. (The passive of this, which is very frequent, expresses the fact of the subject being credited with some action or quality.)
[1611. Bible, John xx. 15. Supposing him to be the gardiner.]
1614. Purchas, Pilgrimage, IV. vi. (ed. 2), 368. Zoroaster … a Chaldæan, supposed to liue in the time of Abraham.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 170. He did not do as the rest did, who are all supposed to understand their Trade.
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit. (ed. 7), III. 351. Alderney, supposed by Camden to be the Arica of Antoninus.
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., xviii. He was supposed vigorously to espouse the quarrel of the Varangians.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. iv. 278. They supposed themselves to have gained a victory.
1864. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., xvi. (1875), 287. Relics supposed to be those of Bartholomew the Apostle.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 130. He may be supposed to have thought more than he said.
1886. Guillemard, Cruise Marchesa, II. 105. I am not aware that this genus [of spider] is avivorous, but the huge Mygale is supposed to be.
† e. with simple obj. Obs. rare.
1596. Drayton, Legends, I. 153. Telling for truth, what thou canst but suppose.
f. in parenthetical phr. I suppose, it is supposed.
1678. Dryden, Kind Keeper, II. i. You mean, I suppose, the peaking creature, the married woman, with a sideling look.
1707. Farquhar, Beaux Strat., I. i. Bon[iface]. This way, this way, Gentlemen…. Aim[well]. You’re my Landlord, I suppose?
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxvi. Tell us how this tale ended—with Conachar’s escape to the Highlands, I suppose?
1859. Tennyson, Idylls of King, Enid, 475. If, as I suppose, your nephew fights In next day’s tourney.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, xi. He fell and it is supposed was instantaneously killed.
g. absol.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. iii. ‘Do you suppose there has been much violence … among these cases?’ ‘I don’t suppose at all about it … I ain’t one of the supposing sort.’
h. trans. To bring by supposing.
1647. Ward, Simple Cobler, 35. I am not without some contrivalls in my patching braines; but I had rather suppose them to powder, than expose them to preregular … judgements.
1747. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. viii. 48. They ask not for my approbation, intending, as it should seem, to suppose me into their will.
9. To lay down or assume as true, take for granted.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 437. Sequestre we al mannes lawe, supposynge Crists ordynaunce.
1688. in 5th Coll. Papers rel. Pres. Juncture Affairs, 18. It supposes Mens Lands to be already butted and bounded, when it forbids removing the Ancient Land-marks.
1799. Med. Jrnl., I. 198. ‘The Italians will always object,’ says he, ‘that you suppose what requires to be demonstrated.’
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 273. The law supposes that a man may vary his intent, even while he is writing his will.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 132. Plato seems to suppose that life should be passed wholly in the enjoyment of divine things.
b. To presume the existence or presence of.
1696. Whiston, Th. Earth, IV. (1722), 371. A Rain-Bow were seldom or never to be suppos’d before the Deluge.
1860. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., V. IX. vi. § 23. An adoration of shepherds with nothing to adore,… the Christ being ‘supposed’ at the side.
1869. Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, iii. 89. We have no reason to suppose, among the races actually named, any radical difference of language.
10. Of actions, conditions, facts: To involve as a ground or basis; to require as a condition; to imply, presuppose.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., Introd. Some take it [sc. the Holy Communion] to strengthen their faith, others to beget it, and yet many affirm that it does neither, but supposes faith beforehand as a disposition.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacræ, II. i. § 1. Mans obligation to obedience unto God, doth necessarily suppose his originall to be from him.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., 385. Lavish Grants suppose a Monarch tame.
1699. Bentley, Phal., 447. These plainly refer to and suppose one another, as a half Crown English supposes a Crown.
1728. Law, Serious C., ix. (1729), 122. Covetousness … supposes a foolish and unreasonable state of mind.
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, xxvii. Patience must suppose pain.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., III. iii. § 18. Heat supposes cold.
† 11. To state, allege: esp. formally in an indictment. Obs.
1411. Rolls of Parlt., III. 650/1. Certein Commune of Pasture … whiche the said Lord … claymes … as it is supposed by the same Bille. Ibid. (1485), VI. 295/1. The … Duke affirmed a Bill of Trespass … supposeing by the same Bill, that the said Thomas Thorpe should have taken [= had taken] … divers Goodes.
1544. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 102. He may haue a wrytte … supposynge by his wryt yt his aduersary hath entred into the landes or tenementes.
1651. trans. Kitchin’s Courts Leet (1653), 477. The Demandant shall not answer to the Barr, nor to the Voucher, but ought to maintain his Writ, that they are Tenants, as the Writ supposes.
† 12. To feign, pretend; occas. to forge. Obs.
1566. Painter, Pal. Pleas., I. v. 13. The maide … was the doughter of his owne bondwoman, who afterwardes being stolen awaye, was caried to the house of Virginius, and supposed to be his childe.
1622–3. N. Riding Rec. (1885), III. II. 161. Ninian Etherington, supposing himself to be a Sheriffes Baliffe, did distreigne and carrie awaie a cow.
1655. trans. Sorel’s Com. Hist. Francion, III. 62. A place where they understood nothing better than supposing of false titles.
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, I. i. Keep all that ask for me from coming up; suppose you were guarding the Scuttle to the Powder room.
† 13. To substitute by artifce or fraud: cf. SUPPOSITITIOUS. Obs.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., II. i. 176. That they when the Queen is in child-birth,… warily obserue least the Ladies should priuily counterfeit the enheritable sex, by supposing som other Male when the true birth is female.
1631. Massinger, Believe as You List, II. ii. To suppose a bodie; and … to inter it In a rich monument, and then proclaime ‘This is the bodye of Antiochus.’
1641. Earl Monm., trans. Biondi’s Civil Wars, V. 111. Shee … did suppose the sonne of a Iew … that he might personate the Duke of Yorke.
1767. Speeches, &c. in Douglas Trial, 48. Persons guilty of supposing children.
† 14. To put or place under something; append. Obs. rare.
1608. [see SUPPOSED 4].
1608. Chapman, Byron’s Conspir., IV. Plays, 1873, II. 234. Foolish Statuaries, That under little [statues of] Saints, suppose great bases.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. Ad Sect. xii. 101. The three coronets, which themselves … supposed as pendants to the great crown of righteousnesse.
1797. [see SUPPOSED 5].
