[f. SUPPOSE v.]
1. An act of supposing; a supposition, hypothesis, conjecture. Often (now always) referring to a supposition expressed or expressible by means of the verb ‘suppose.’
1566. Gascoigne, Supposes, Prol. I suppose you shoulde have hearde almoste the laste of our Supposes, before you coulde have supposed anye of them arighie.
1586. A. Day, Engl. Secretorie, I. (1625), 65. How ill-beseeming it is … that it should so fall out, you may by supposes coniecture.
1591. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611), 67. If it be true, die for thy tidings price; If false, for fearing me with vaine suppose.
1633. B. Jonson, Tale Tub, III. vii. Fatted with Supposes of fine Hopes.
1672. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal, V. (Arb.), 127. Suppos’d! Ay, you are ever at your suppose.
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1810), II. v. 79. I began with my roundabouts, and my suppose’s.
1791–3. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1799), I. 290. Various other supposes have been offered.
1835. Marryat, Pacha of Many Tales, III. 103 (Water-carrier). Those confounded Moussul merchants! Their supposes always come to pass.
1875. Hannah W. Smith, Chr. Secret Happy Life, viii. Nothing else will take all the risks and ‘supposes’ out of a Christian’s life.
1897. Flor. Marryat, Blood of Vampire, xii. Harriet’s mind was full of ‘supposes.’
† b. In generalized sense: Supposition. Obs.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 16. Whether you will part with so much probable friendly suppose or no, Ile haue it in spite of your hearts.
1612. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., iv. 67. There was, by suppose, a correction of what was faulty in forme or matter.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, II. 330. He … Must know a Dun, with genuine suppose, As Spannels do their Masters, by the Nose.
† 2. A belief, notion, opinion. Obs.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1327/2. Alwaies addicted to a maruellous suppose in himselfe of ripe iudgement.
1630. G. Widdowes, Schysmatical Puritan, Pref. He is pure, not really, but in his owne suppose.
† 3. (An) expectation. Obs.
1602. Munday, trans. Palm. Eng., II. ix. [She] will returne as greatly displeased, as she arrived here with suppose of pleasure.
1600. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 11. We come short of our suppose so farre, That after seuen yeares siege, yet Troy walles stand.
† 4. Purpose, intention. Obs.
1597. Middleton, Wisd. Solomon, xi. 13. Breathlesse in wasting of so vaine a breath, Dumb in performance of their tongues suppose.
c. 1616. Chapman, Homer’s Hymn Appollo, 394. Here I entertaine suppose To build a farr-fam’d Temple.
