[ad. L. suppositio, -ōnem, n. of action f. supposit-, suppōnĕre to SUPPONE. Cf. F. supposition, It. supposizione, Sp. suposicion, Pg. supposição.
The current meanings arose from the equation of med.L. suppositio to Gr. ὑπόθεσις HYPOTHESIS, of which it is the etymological equivalent. In older L. suppositio is recorded only in the senses of ‘placing under’ and ‘substitution.’]
The action of supposing, or what is supposed.
† 1. Scholastic Logic. Something held to be true and taken as the basis of an argument. Obs.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. viii. 186. Wherfore, alle thingis seen, this … reule or supposicion is trewe.
a. 1529. Skelton, Replyc., 112. But ye were confuse tantum, Surrendring your supposycions.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, II. (1895), 185. Those rules of restryctyons, amplyfycatyons, and supposytyons, very wittelye inuented in the small Logycalles.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Logike, II. iv. 92 b. Suppositions are built rather upon idle supposals of schoolemen, then grounded upon any sure foundation of naturall experience.
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faustus, vi. Who knowes not the double motion of the plannets? The first is finisht in a naturall day, The second thus, as Saturne in 30. yeares,… the Moone in 28. dayes. Tush, these are fresh mens suppositions.
2. The action of assuming, or, usually, that which is assumed (which may be either true or false), as a basis of argument or a premiss from which a conclusion is drawn.
a. 1596. Sir T. More, II. iv. 113. Let me sett vp before your thoughts, good freindes, On [= one] supposytion.
1669. Owen, Expos. Ps. cxxx. 338. The due performance of all principal mutual Gospel Duties … depends on this supposition, that [etc.].
1704. Norris, Ideal World, II. xi. 414. The position of this chapter involves a supposition. It is here supposed that there are Divine Ideas.
1706. Prior, Ode to Queen, Pref. Upon the Supposition of these facts, Virgil wrote the best Poem that the World ever read.
1725. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 175. Even putting the supposition that nothing can be done from the north this summer.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. 24. Upon supposition that they are compounded.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, I. iii. (1762), 22. All opposition is shut out and denied, in the very supposition of the case.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 358. This calculation goes on the supposition that each mower dispatches three acres.
1798. Hutton, Course Math. (1806), I. 45. Making the other number of supposition the 1st term.
1836. H. Rogers, J. Howe, ii. (1863), 32. On the supposition—a supposition which the whole history of the period amply justities [etc.].
1887. 48th Rep. Deputy Kpr. Publ. Rec., 625. The supposition that the defendant had broken the plaintiff’s close.
† b. An assumption made to account for the known facts: = HYPOTHESIS 3. Obs.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1187. One of those suppositions alone was sufficient to make good the reason.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., VI. iii. 105. The Copernican supposition of the Earths Motion.
3. A notion or idea that the thing in question is true, held without certainty or assurance, but as sufficiently probable to be assumed or admitted on account of agreement with the facts of the case; a hypothetical inference, or the action of making such inferences; an uncertain (sometimes, by implication, a false or mistaken) belief. † In supposition, in uncertainty, uncertain, doubtful (obs.).
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 18. My meaning in saying he is a good man, is … that he is sufficient, yet his meanes are in supposition. Ibid. (1599), Much Ado, IV. i. 240. The supposition of the Ladies death, Will quench the wonder of her infamie.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, VII. ii. 611. A supposition, that there might be some Ilands or Parts of the Continent in times past, which is now swallowed by the mercilesse Ocean.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 12 July. It is only said to be his [handwriting] by supposition.
1747. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, III. 9. These are not mere suppositions, for I have heard some talk in this strange manner.
1790. Paley, Horæ Paul., xi. Wks. 1825, III. 215. That supposition is inconsistent with the terms and tenor of the epistle.
1832. Brewster, Nat. Magic, ii. 34. I … was driven to the extreme supposition that a crystallization was taking place in … the aqueous humour of the eye.
1861. Paley, Æschylus (ed. 2), Choeph., 659, note. Klausen thinks that Clytemnestra must have overheard the remarks of Orestes … but the supposition is hardly necessary.
† b. Used vaguely, with various shades of meaning: Idea, notion; imagination, fancy; occas. suspicion, expectation. Obs.
1586. A. Day, Engl. Secretorie, I. (1625), 123. To torment your self by a needlesse supposition.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., III. ii. 50. Spread ore the siluer waues thy golden haires; And as a bud Ile take thee, and there lie: And in that glorious supposition thinke, He gaines by death, that hath such meanes to die.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., II. 69. Songs of Arcadian Sheepheards … did recreate my fatigated corps with many sugred suppositions.
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., II. iv. (1636), 59. The Inquisition crusheth not only the beginnings, but the smallest suppositions in being contrarily affected.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 18. I meditated nothing but my Escape;… but found no way that had the least Probability in it: Nothing presented to make the Supposition of it rational.
1784. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., xii. (1876), 39. They proceed upon a false supposition of life.
† 4. Fraudulent substitution of another thing or person in place of the genuine one; cf. SUPPOSITITIOUS 1. Obs.
1569. J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 11 b. The deceits of Rhea, and the supposition of the stone.
1641. Earl Monm., trans. Biondi’s Civil Wars, V. 111. If she had a hand in the false supposition of an Edward Plantagenet.
1797. Monthly Mag., III. 536. Nothing was so common among the Athenian women as the supposition of children.
† b. Insertion of something not genuine in a writing; that which is so inserted, an interpolation, a spurious passage; a spurious writing, a forgery.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1028. In what verses he useth so to doe, be sure they were of speciall marke, or els suppositions and suspected to be none of his making.
1608. Bp. Hall, Epist., IV. viii. All cary in them manifest brands of falshood and supposition.
1662. Owen, Liturgies, v. Wks. 1855, XV. 22. Those treatises are justly suspected to be suppositions.
† 5. Mus. a. The introduction of passing-notes foreign to the harmony (called discords by supposition). b. The introduction of an extra note below the notes of a chord, or the transference of an upper note of a chord to the bass, as in an ‘inversion’ (cf. SUPPOSED 5). c. A bar common to two overlapping sections of rhythm, being the last bar of one and also the first of the other. Obs.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., There are several Kinds of Supposition: The first is, when the Parts proceed gradually from Concord to Discord, and Discord to Concord; the intervening Discord serving only as a Transition to the following Concord.
1730. Treat. Harmony, 29. There is a way in Division of making use of Discords, upon the Second accented Part of the Bar, which way is called Supposition.
1752. trans. Rameau’s Treat. Musick, 95. Minor Discords by Supposition may be prepared by another common Discord.
1797. [see SUPPOSED 5].
1838. G. F. Graham, Mus. Comp., 19/2 (trans. Reicha). The supposition is a measure which … counts as two; 1. as final measure of the first rhythm; and, 2. as initial measure of the following rhythm.
1845. Encycl. Metrop., V. 752. Discords … may be … used without … regular preparation and resolution, though they are then no longer considered in the light of discords but passing … notes. margin, Discords by supposition.
† 6. Scholastic Logic. Any of the different meanings of a term. Obs.
1697. trans. Burgersdicius Logic, I. xxvi. 106. The diverse Acceptions of Words, which the Schoolmen call Suppositions, Effect no Homonymy…. When I say Man is an Animal, the Word Animal is taken in the Concrete…. This Concrete Acception is by the Schoolmen termed Personal, who dispute very largely of Acceptions, or, as they speak, Suppositions.
† 7. Med. Application of a suppository. Obs.
1643. J. Steer, trans. Exp. Chyrurg., vi. 23. The belly being first emptied by a supposition.
