Definition

1. Noun:

   • A statement or proposition that is assumed to be true and used as the basis for an argument or theory: A premise is an idea or fact that you accept as true and use to develop other ideas or conclusions.
   • A previous statement from which another is inferred: In logic, a premise is one of the statements in an argument that leads to a conclusion.
   • (plural: premises) A house or building, together with its land and outbuildings, occupied by a business or considered in an official context: This meaning refers to a physical location or property.

2. Verb:

   • To base an argument, theory, or undertaking on a particular assumption or idea: To premise something is to state or assume it as a basis for further reasoning.
   • To state or assume something as a preliminary to further discussion: To set forth an idea or fact at the beginning of a discussion or text.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Logical/Argumentative sense):
  • The basic premise of her theory is that all people are inherently good.
  • If we accept your premise, then your conclusion seems logical.
• Noun (Physical location sense):
  • Smoking is not allowed on the premises.
  • The company moved to new premises last year.
• Verb:
  • The professor premised her lecture on the latest research findings.
  • He premised his argument on the assumption that resources are limited.

Advanced Usage

• "on the premise that...": based on the idea or assumption that...
  • The policy was enacted on the premise that it would reduce crime.
• "to grant a premise": to accept a statement as true for the sake of argument.
  • For the sake of discussion, I will grant your premise that the data is accurate.

Variants and Related Words

• Premises (n, plural): The buildings and land that a business or organization uses.
  • The security guard patrols the premises at night.
• Premiss (n): An alternative, less common spelling of "premise" in its logical sense.

Synonyms

• Assumption: Something accepted as true without proof.
• Proposition: A statement or idea that people can consider or discuss.
• Presupposition: Something that is assumed in advance.
• Hypothesis: A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence.

Related Phrases

• "to be consumed on the premises": (of food or drink) to be eaten or drunk at the place where it is bought.
  • Alcohol sold here must be consumed on the premises.
• "to see someone off the premises": to escort someone out of a building or property.
  • The manager saw the disruptive customer off the premises.

Idioms

• "Drunk to the premises": (informal, humorous) Extremely drunk.
  • After the party, he was drunk to the premises.

Noun

1. a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
   • on the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not to play

Verb

1. take something as preexisting and given
2. furnish with a preface or introduction
   • She always precedes her lectures with a joke
   • He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution
3. set forth beforehand, often as an explanation
   • He premised these remarks so that his readers might understand