Dr Livingstone, I presume? Dr Livingstone, I assume? Which of these sounds right? Does the first ring true just because we’ve heard it so often, or is there a difference between the two words? Assume and presume both mean to take something for granted as true (among their many other definitions which are itemised below). The difference lies in the degree of certainty. A presumption is more authoritative than an assumption. To presume is to make an informed guess based on reasonable evidence, while to assume is to make a guess based… Read More