premise

[prem-is] /ˈprɛm ɪs/
noun
1.
Also, premiss. Logic. a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion.
2.
premises.
  1. a tract of land including its buildings.
  2. a building together with its grounds or other appurtenances.
  3. the property forming the subject of a conveyance or bequest.
3.
Law.
  1. a basis, stated or assumed, on which reasoning proceeds.
  2. an earlier statement in a document.
  3. (in a bill in equity) the statement of facts upon which the complaint is based.
verb (used with object), premised, premising.
4.
to set forth beforehand, as by way of introduction or explanation.
5.
to assume, either explicitly or implicitly, (a proposition) as a premise for a conclusion.
verb (used without object), premised, premising.
6.
to state or assume a premise.
Origin
1325-75; Middle English premiss < Medieval Latin praemissa, noun use of feminine of Latin praemissus past participle of praemittere to send before, equivalent to prae- pre- + mittere to send. See dismiss, remiss
Related forms
repremise, verb, repremised, repremising.
Can be confused
assumption, axiom, premise, presumption.
premise, premises.
Synonyms
1. assumption, postulate. 5. postulate, hypothesize.
Examples from the web for premises
  • The hotel also boasts a fine-dining restaurant on its premises and picturesque scenery on the grounds of the hotel.
  • The risk-reducing formulas behind portfolio theory rely on a number of demanding and ultimately unfounded premises.
  • The worst part about moving to the small town of Bridgewater is that her family has to live on the premises of the hospital.
  • Calm was restored when the counterman assured us that there was another pie on the premises.
  • Meanwhile, the landlord of the inn that is home to the players plans to sell his premises.
  • That said, I still have a hard time agreeing with your basic premises.
  • Photographers may even be escorted off the premises.
  • Nobody drops a sandwich wrapper on the premises.
  • I'm sure it's a relief to know that the premises are indeed safe.
  • The premises of the paper all seem reasonably sound.
British Dictionary definitions for premises

premises

/ˈprɛmɪsɪz/
plural noun
1.
a piece of land together with its buildings, esp considered as a place of business
2.
(law)
  1. (in a deed, etc) the matters referred to previously; the aforesaid; the foregoing
  2. the introductory part of a grant, conveyance, etc
3.
(law) (in the US) the part of a bill in equity that states the names of the parties, details of the plaintiff's claims, etc

premise

noun (ˈprɛmɪs)
1.
(logic) Also premiss. a statement that is assumed to be true for the purpose of an argument from which a conclusion is drawn
verb (prɪˈmaɪz; ˈprɛmɪs)
2.
(when transitive, may take a clause as object) to state or assume (a proposition) as a premise in an argument, theory, etc
Word Origin
C14: from Old French prémisse, from Medieval Latin praemissa sent on before, from Latin praemittere to dispatch in advance, from prae before + mittere to send
Word Origin and History for premises
n.

"building and grounds," 1730; see premise (n.).

premise

n.

late 14c., in logic, "a previous proposition from which another follows," from Old French premisse (14c.), from Medieval Latin premissa (propositio or sententia) "(the proposition) set before," noun use of fem. past participle of Latin praemittere "send forward, put before," from prae "before" (see pre-) + mittere "to send" (see mission). In legal documents it meant "matter previously stated" (early 15c.), which in deeds or wills often was a house or building, hence the extended meaning "house or building, with grounds" (1730).

v.

"to state before something else," mid-15c., from premise (n.). Related: Premised; premising.