• (British) IPA: /səˈpəʊz/, [səˈpʰəʊz]
• (America) IPA: /səˈpoʊz/, [səˈpʰoʊz]
  • (British) IPA: /ˈspəʊz/, [ˈspəʊz]
  • (America) IPA: /ˈspoʊz/, [ˈspoʊz]

suppose (supposes, present participle supposing; past and past participle supposed)

1. (transitive) To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe.

   Suppose that A implies B and B implies C. Then A implies C.

2. (transitive) To theorize or hypothesize.

   I suppose we all agree that this is the best solution.

3. (transitive) To imagine; to believe; to receive as true.
   • c. 1595–1596, William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene i]:

     How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

   • Bible, 2 Books of Samuel xiii. 32

     Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead.

   • 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, OCLC 5661828 ↗:

     As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, […]. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. […] I do not suppose that it matters much in reality whether laws are made by dukes or cornerboys, but I like, as far as possible, to associate with gentlemen in private life.

4. (transitive) To require to exist or to be true; to imply by the laws of thought or of nature.

   Purpose supposes foresight.

   • 1752, Charlotte Lennox, The Female Quixote

     One falsehood always supposes another, and renders all you can say suspected.

5. (transitive) To put by fraud in the place of another.

• assume (1,2)
• See also Thesaurus:suppose

• French: supposer, imaginer
• German: annehmen, vermuten, vermeinen
• Italian: supporre, immaginare
• Portuguese: supor
• Russian: предполага́ть
• Spanish: suponer

• French: supposer
• German: vermuten, annehmen, unterstellen
• Italian: supporre
• Portuguese: supor
• Russian: полага́ть
• Spanish: suponer