{
    "term": "assume",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "academic": true,
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "assume",
            "heSheIt": "assumes"
        },
        "pastSimple": "assumed",
        "pastParticiple": "assumed",
        "ingForm": "assuming"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to think or accept that something is true but without having proof of it",
            "sensetop": "assume (that)…it is assumed (that)…assume somethingassume somebody/something to be/have something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**It is reasonable to assume (that)** the economy will continue to improve.",
                    "contextForm": "assume (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "**It's** probably **safe to assume (that)** we'll be hearing more about this story."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Let us assume** for a moment that the plan succeeds."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She would, he assumed, be home at the usual time."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is generally assumed that stress is caused by too much work.",
                    "contextForm": "it is assumed (that)…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't always **assume the worst** *(= that something bad has happened)*.",
                    "contextForm": "assume something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "In this example we have assumed a unit price of $10."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I had assumed him to be a Belgian.",
                    "contextForm": "assume somebody/something to be/have something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's all too easy to assume that people know what they are doing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I think we can safely assume that this situation will continue."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He automatically assumed that I had children."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I hope to go to college next year, always assuming that I pass my exams."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is generally assumed that they were lovers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We have assumed an average profit of £5 000 a month."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["automatically", "naturally", "reasonably"],
                "verb + assume": ["can", "might", "tend to"],
                "phrases": ["let us assume"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to take or begin to have power or responsibility",
            "sensetop": "assume something",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Rebel forces have assumed control of the capital."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court **assumed responsibility** for the girl's welfare."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Goodman will **assume the role** of president."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Lynch assumed office in April."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The military assumed power in an unexpected coup."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Harris then assumed command of the battalion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His oldest brother assumed the role of father."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to begin to have a particular quality or appearance",
            "sensetop": "assume something",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This matter has assumed considerable importance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In the story the god assumes the form of an eagle."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "take on"
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to pretend to have a particular feeling or quality",
            "sensetop": "assume something",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He assumed an air of concern."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He had assumed a stage Southern accent."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "put on"
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsjuːm/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assume__gb_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsjuːmz/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assumes__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsjuːmd/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assumed__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsjuːmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assuming__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsuːm/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assume__us_2.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsuːmz/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assumes__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsuːmd/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assumed__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈsuːmɪŋ/",
                "audio": "as/assume/assuming__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Latin assumere, from ad- ‘towards’ + sumere ‘take’."
}