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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Presum(e, Presom(e, v. Also: praesume, preswme, presumme, pressume, preswime, presoime, presoyme, presoome, presewm, perswme, -some, -soum. P.t. also presumpt. [ME (Rolle) and e.m.E. presum(e, F. présumer (12th–13th c. in Hatz.-Dar.), L. præsumĕre to take before, anticipate, late L. presumare (6th–16th c. in Latham) to take for granted, assume, suppose, dare, undertake.]

1. tr. To be so presumptuous, forward or impertinent as to do something (which is regarded as overweening); to take the liberty, take it upon oneself, dare. 1375 Barb. i 572.
That he suld wengeance ta Off that Brwys, that presumyt swa Aganys him to brawle or rys a1400 Leg. S. iii 823.
Pressumyt c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2158. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1020 (Bann.).
Thocht he wes brynt throuch pryde ȝit he presumis To luke doun law quhair that thir lettres lay Ib. 2635.
Presome [Ch., H. presume] 1513 Doug. ii iii 47.
With thar bludy handis Hir … blissit godly garlandis Presumyt twich [L. ausi … contigere] Ib. iv 55. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 13.
Quho dar presume thir poetis tyll impung 1533 Boece 170 b.
The king … cryit ‘Mischeant men how dar ȝe presume to myssay me’ 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 229.
That no man durste presome me tyll oppres a1568 Weddirburne Bann. MS 279 a/4.
Quhen thay persome in to thair vane consait To say … that may [etc.] a1568 Scott vi 33.
Suld I presome this sedull schaw 1560 Conf. Faith in Acts II 529/1. 1570 Inv. Q. Mary cxxxiii n.
That the Erle of Lennox … perswmes to spoilȝe ws of certane jowelles a1578 Pitsc. II 144/2.
Nor ane freir [etc.] … durst nocht presum to gang to ane pullpit withtout [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 145.
Thai … quhilk … frawartlie dois præsume to speik aganis the halie decrees of the fathers 1606 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I 36.
Forder we now presoime nocht to fasche your maiestie 1607 Rep. Menzies MSS 19.
Insofar as suche a handfull of miserable catiues dar presome to continew rebellious 1611 Edinb. Test. XLV 375 b.
In caice that thay … presumpt by dewtie to trubell him … to suite the same 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II 597.
How durst they presoome or mint to take ordour with anie of his servants 1668 Bk. Old Edinb. C. V 144.
[He] presumes most impeiouslie to take upone him to marrie persones 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 281.
Whoe tooke upon him to presume in ane maner to keep court upon the said Samwell 1696 Berw. Nat. C. XXXIII 5.
That non shall persoum nor tak upon hand to buy [etc.] 1697 Proclamation 4 May.
Some persons presume to import into this kingdom forraign black-money

b. Common in official prohibitions.Chiefly in dependent clauses and so normally in the subjunctive or const. modal auxiliary. Freq. coupled with to tak upoun hand. Also with ellipsis of the infin.(1) 14.. Acts I 11/2.
That fra hinfurth na man in the kynrik presume to do [L. agere presumat] suilk wrang Ib. 113/2.
Presome [L. presumat] 1559 Statut. Sc. Ch. 189.
Se that nane of yow with despyte in your herte presume to cum to this blyssit sacrament 1570 Crail B. Ct. MS 20 Oct.
That na persone presume to myddyng ony wair … bot samekle as [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 183. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 126.
Na man sould presume, or be sa bauld, as to harberie … ane lipperman 1641 Peebles Chart. 105.
Preswme 1650 Rothiemay Kirk S. in J. Gordon Hist. I App. lvi.
That none should presume to have midsumer fyres 1656 Ayr Chart. 198. 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 124. 1682 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 17.
That no freman presum to enter into the for hett without he heath ben a dacon 1683 Elgin Rec. I 331.(2) 1471–2 Liber Melros II 591.
That nane of ȝou … presume nor tak vppon hand till hunt thar forest laundis 1498 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 74.
That na maner of persoun presume or tak vpoun hand to cum within the said towne at [etc.] 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II 168. 1614 Reg. Privy C. X 720.
To command … all … boitmen … that nane of thame presome nor tak upoun hand to repair oute of Yla 1616 Ib. 657, 1629 Ib. 2 Ser. III 25.
Presoome 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 55. 1656 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 63.
That no shirreffs officiar presum nor tak upon hand to [etc.] 1670 Salmon Borrowstounness 92. 1671 Ib. 95.(3) ellipt. 1594 Prestwick B. Rec. 83.
It is statute … that na vnfre persoun haue libertie to gather ony wrak … and geve incaice ony vnfre persoun presume in the contrar, that [etc.]

c. To make pretension, to aspire overweeningly or attempt over-ambitiously. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 47 (Asl.).
Presumptuously I think nocht to presome [: Rome] … To tell ane tale c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 313 (Ch. & M.).
For to presome [M. presume] anys Vnto my persone to be peir 1513 Doug. i Prol. 22. 1549 Compl. 14/4.
Quhen ane ydiot, distitute of knaulage, presumis to teche or to leyrne ane man that hes … experiens a1568 Bann. MS I p. 54.
Thay quho to conqueir all the erth presume A littill airth schall thame at last consume 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath Tr. (S.T.S.) 85/28. c1590 J. Stewart 8/11.
I dar skairs presum my pen to weit 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 38/13.
Mekle lesse soulde any fleshe præsume to crake uith God as uith his companion 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 225/27.

d. intr., also const. adv. complement: To be presumptuous, to take excessive liberties or make excessive pretensions. 1600-1610 Melvill 142.
Mr. Andro … planlie tauld the King and Counsall that they presumed ower bauldlie in a constitut esteat of a Christian kirk … to tak upon tham to judge the doctrin ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 123.
The mackers leave no place to presume for episcopacy

e. tr. With direct object: To take (some action) upon oneself, overweeningly; to intend unjustifiably. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1269.
That sic ane knaif sa hie thing to presume As to defoull the … emprice 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 343.
Quhairas in deid hir majestie nevir presumit alteratioun of the guid and quiet estait of the commoun weill

f. intr. Const. adv. of destination: To venture or dare to go (there). c1475 Wall. viii 1655.
He … maid no residens In ony steid, quhar he presumyt thar

2. a. tr. To take for granted or to count upon, overweeningly or over-confidently.Const. noun clause and other constructions. 1375 Barb. xi 143 (C).
He … weill presumyt [E. supposyt] thar wes nocht In varld a kyng mycht him vithstand 1456 Hay I 73/17.
It is like as he tempit God, to presume that God will schaw to him thare quhilk is clene, quhilk foule a1500 Lanc. 2523.
For he preswmyt no thing that thei wold Have cummyne Ib. 497. a1500 Colk. Sow ii 185.
Presome nevir bot povert may prewaill c1490 Irland Asl. MS 70/2.
I haue … trowit our mekle in myn awne opinioun, presumand mekle werteu in my self c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 36 b/110.
Ȝit thow presomes eternall blis to win a1568 Bann. MS 74 b/7.
Presome [M. Preswme] nocht gevin that God hes done bot lent 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 159.
Every man preswimeing that nothing wes extant to controll them they [etc.]

b. intr., const. of, on (upon), in (into): To rely excessively or unjustifiably (on), to be over-confident (of), to take for granted. 1490 Irland Mir. I 131/15.
The haly … virgin presumyt nocht of hire wertu … bot prayit humely … that sche mycht [etc.] a1500 Prestis of Peblis 755.
I wald that ȝe sould not presume Na to haue count upon the day of dome c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 11.
Presumme 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 600.
Presume nocht in ȝour vaine prosperitie c1536 Id. Compl. Bagsche 191.
And of thy self presume no thing 1551 Hamilton Cat. 48.
Thai that presumis owyr mekil of thair awin … gud deedis Ib. 51.

3. a. tr. To regard (some possibility or hypothetical belief) as established or true; to assume, suppose; to believe, understand. Variously const.(1) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 138.
Fore na man wyll the gud presum c1460 Consail Vys Man 253.
Gud mothir child gud we presume a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 64.
Quhen thai [women] cled ar our-statly Men will presoyme na gud treuly(2) 1456 Hay I 3/36.
That the prophecyes the quhilkis ar presumyt to be understandin in ȝour persone … be verifyit in ȝour maist … worthy princehede Ib. 227/18.
Fra tyme a man be ressavit in service he is presumyt ay to be servand 1500 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 84.
Ony guidis … quhilkis hes bene infect or presumit infect 1535 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 446.
[They] ar presomit in ane part suspect to be jugis 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 177.
Quhatsumevir gudis … nocht beand contenit in the clerkis buke … ar presumit and jugeit to be thiftuouslie or unlefullie input in the said schip 1600 Colville Palinode 16.
Because soveraignes are presumed euerie one to be brethren to other [etc.] 1601 Crim. Trials II 345.
It is alledgeit, that he man be presewmit ane landit gentilman(3) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 397.
Ȝit thay presumit, for hir hie regrait … scho was of nobill kin a1500 Lanc. 497.
Presumyth, shir, that we have fundyne so All erdly honore ye nedist most for-go c1475 Wall. ii 252.
Quhen thai presumyt he suld be werray ded, Thai gart [etc.] Ib. x 773.
Als I preswme … Thai ar Scottis men at suld the wyrkaris be a1500 Seven S. 985.
I presome Thar is na man this day in Rome Can speike better na ȝour son can Ib. 2675.
The king said suthly I presome And wtterly I gif for dome The craw that savit the birdis lyf Sall iois the bird(4) ellipt. 1524 Acta Conc. MS XXXII fol. 47.
As is presumyt for his awin wele 1535 Stewart 43386.
This wes done … Into the kirk, gif that I richt presume, Quhair present war tua cardinallis of Rome 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 50.
Without respect to blude royall or clan, Pureanis promouit that na man wald presume

b. impers.(1) 1494 Acta Conc. I 365/1.
Becaus it is presumit thai ar in perell of dede 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 204.
And it is preswmet tha intend to cum on owr syid(2) 1456 Hay I 187/15.
For it war to presume, and als it may be clerely provit, that [etc.] Ib. II 108/16.
Thus is it to presume that thou … may ressave knaulage … better na ony woman Ib. I 265/15, 279/17. a1500 Quare Jel. 440.
It is nocht for to presume tharby That jelousye … is [etc.] 14.. Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 249.
The quhilkis gif he wil nocht schaw, it is to presume agaynys him that he wald nocht that the richt war knawin

c. intr., const. of (cf. 2 b): To rely on, trust in. 1607 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 99.
And trewlie we presome safer of his awne credite and honnestie, that [etc.]

4. To count upon or believe in as a future occurrence, to anticipate, expect. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3012.
Becaus that thai tretie ay presumit Thay war nocht busie at the forgerie And wantit schot c1420 Wynt. ii 402 (L) (see Presumptio(u)n(e n. 2). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2628 (Bann.).
He drank in ane littill space, Quhill him thocht gude, presomyng thair none ill c1475 Wall. xi 353 (L).
Thay presumit the cumyng off Wallace 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i 292.
‘Ingres to have’, quod thay, ‘we not presume’ 1533 Bell. Livy I 83/18.
This Tarquyne … returnit … with mare riche pray … than was presumyt

5. Of a thing: To presuppose, imply, involve as a concomitant. 1681 Stair Inst. ii ix §20 (1832) 328.
Grassums do presume kindliness; … if the grassum be received from the tenant … he cannot be removed [etc.]