posit definitions

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (logic) a proposition that is accepted as true in order to provide a basis for logical reasoning [syn: postulate, posit] v
1: put (something somewhere) firmly; "She posited her hand on his shoulder"; "deposit the suitcase on the bench"; "fix your eyes on this spot" [syn: situate, fix, posit, deposit]
2: put before; "I submit to you that the accused is guilty" [syn: submit, state, put forward, posit]
3: take as a given; assume as a postulate or axiom; "He posited three basic laws of nature" [syn: postulate, posit]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (posited; positing) Etymology: Latin positus, past participle of ponere Date: 1647 1. to dispose or set firmly ; fix 2. to assume or affirm the existence of ; postulate 3. to propose as an explanation ; suggest

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v.tr. (posited, positing) 1 assume as a fact, postulate. 2 put in place or position. --n. Philos. a statement which is made on the assumption that it will prove valid. Etymology: L ponere posit- place

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Posit Pos"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Posited; p. pr. & vb. n. Positing.] [L. ponere, positum, to place. See Position.] 1. To dispose or set firmly or fixedly; to place or dispose in relation to other objects. --Sir M. Hale. 2. (Logic) To assume as real or conceded; as, to posit a principle. --Sir W. Hamilton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(posits, positing, posited) If you posit something, you suggest or assume it as the basis for an argument or calculation. (FORMAL) Several writers have posited the idea of a universal consciousness... Callahan posits that chemical elements radiate electromagnetic signals. = postulate VERB: V n, V that

Moby Thesaurus

advance, apriorism, assert, assume, hypothesize, lay, lay down, offer, park, place, pose, post, postulate, postulation, predicate, premise, presume, presumption, presupposition, propose, propound, put, put forth, put forward, seat, set, set forth, station, stick, submit, supposition, thesis