imagine, suppose

imagine, suppose
These words are so constantly used interchangeably by so many people of all degrees of education that it seems useless to attempt differentiating between them. You can say "I imagine that's true" or "I suppose that's true" with equal correctness. If you wish to be precise, use imagine to mean "to form a mental image of something that is not actually available to one's senses": "I imagine that Napoleon was a vain and pompous little man." Use suppose to mean "to assume something without reference to its truth or falsity": "Suppose the cost to be more than we have in hand." "I suppose that you will use imagine and suppose to mean the same thing."

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • suppose — See imagine. See imagine, suppose …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • imagine — See imagine, suppose …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • Suppose — Sup*pose , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Supposed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Supposing}.] [F. supposer; pref. sub under + poser to place; corresponding in meaning to L. supponere, suppositum, to put under, to substitute, falsify, counterfeit. See {Pose}.] 1. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • supposé — supposé, ée [ sypoze ] adj. • attesté XVIIe; de supposer 1 ♦ Admis comme hypothèse. Considéré comme probable. Le nombre supposé des victimes. L auteur supposé du vol. ⇒ présumé. Père supposé. ⇒ putatif. L auteur supposé d un livre. ⇒ prétendu. 2… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • suppose — [v1] assume, guess accept, admit, brainstorm, calculate, conjecture, cook up*, dare say*, deem, divine, dream, estimate, expect, figure, go out on a limb*, grant, guesstimate*, hazard a guess*, hypothesize, imagine, infer, judge, opine, posit,… …   New thesaurus

  • suppose — [sə pōz′] vt. supposed, supposing [ME supposen < MFr supposer, to suppose, imagine, altered (infl. by poser: see POSE1) < ML supponere, to suppose, assume < L, to put under, substitute < sub ,SUB + ponere: see POSITION] 1. to assume… …   English World dictionary

  • imagine — [i maj′in] vt. imagined, imagining [ME imaginen < OFr imaginer < L imaginari < imago, a likeness, IMAGE] 1. to make a mental image of; form an idea or notion of; conceive in the mind; create by the imagination 2. to suppose; guess; think …   English World dictionary

  • imaginé — imaginé, ée [ imaʒine ] adj. • de imaginer ♦ Inventé. Histoire imaginée de toutes pièces. ⇒ fabriqué, forgé. Dans cette passion [l amour] « toujours une chose imaginée est une chose existante » (Stendhal). Moyens imaginés pour se tirer d affaire …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Imagine — Im*ag ine, v. i. 1. To form images or conceptions; to conceive; to devise. [1913 Webster] 2. To think; to suppose. [1913 Webster] My sister is not so defenseless left As you imagine. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Imagine — Im*ag ine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Imagined}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Imagining}.] [F. imaginer, L. imaginari, p. p. imaginatus, fr. imago image. See {Image}.] 1. To form in the mind a notion or idea of; to form a mental image of; to conceive; to produce… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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