'Postulate' definitions:
Definition of 'postulate'
(from WordNet)
noun
(logic) a proposition that is accepted as true in order to provide a basis for logical reasoning [syn: postulate, posit]
verb
Maintain or assert; "He contended that Communism had no future" [syn: contend, postulate]
verb
Take as a given; assume as a postulate or axiom; "He posited three basic laws of nature" [syn: postulate, posit]
verb
Require as useful, just, or proper; "It takes nerve to do what she did"; "success usually requires hard work"; "This job asks a lot of patience and skill"; "This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice"; "This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert"; "This intervention does not postulate a patient's consent" [syn: necessitate, ask, postulate, need, require, take, involve, call for, demand] [ant: eliminate, obviate, rid of]
Definition of 'Postulate'
From: GCIDE
- Postulate \Pos"tu*late\, n. [L. postulatum a demand, request, prop. p. p. of postulare to demand, prob. a dim. of poscere to demand, prob. for porcscere; akin to G. forschen to search, investigate, Skr. prach to ask, and L. precari to pray: cf. F. postulat. See Pray.]
- 1. Something demanded or asserted; especially, a position or supposition assumed without proof, or one which is considered as self-evident; a truth to which assent may be demanded or challenged, without argument or evidence. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Geom.) The enunciation of a self-evident problem, in distinction from an axiom, which is the enunciation of a self-evident theorem. [1913 Webster]
- The distinction between a postulate and an axiom lies in this, -- that the latter is admitted to be self-evident, while the former may be agreed upon between two reasoners, and admitted by both, but not as proposition which it would be impossible to deny. --Eng. Cyc. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Postulate'
From: GCIDE
- Postulate \Pos"tu*late\, a. Postulated. [Obs.] --Hudibras. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Postulate'
From: GCIDE
- Postulate \Pos"tu*late\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Postulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Postulating.]
- 1. To beg, or assume without proof; as, to postulate conclusions. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To take without express consent; to assume. [1913 Webster]
- The Byzantine emperors appear to have . . . postulated a sort of paramount supremacy over this nation. --W. Tooke. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To invite earnestly; to solicit. [Obs.] --Bp. Burnet. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'postulate'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- a priori principle,
- a priori truth,
- absolute fact,
- accepted fact,
- actual fact,
- admitted fact,
- advance,
- affirm,
- affirmation,
- apriorism,
- assert,
- assertion,
- assume,
- assumed position,
- assumption,
- avant-propos,
- aver,
- axiom,
- bald fact,
- bare fact,
- basis,
- breakthrough,
- bring before,
- bring forward,
- bring up,
- broach,
- brocard,
- brutal fact,
- call,
- categorical proposition,
- center,
- challenge,
- circumstance,
- claim,
- cold fact,
- commend to attention,
- conceded fact,
- conjecture,
- core,
- data,
- datum,
- demonstrable fact,
- dictate,
- dictum,
- elixir,
- empirical fact,
- essence,
- essential,
- established fact,
- exact,
- exordium,
- fact,
- fact of experience,
- first principles,
- flower,
- focus,
- foreword,
- formula,
- foundation,
- front matter,
- frontispiece,
- fundamental,
- gist,
- given fact,
- golden rule,
- gravamen,
- ground,
- guesswork,
- hard fact,
- heart,
- hypostasis,
- hypothesis,
- hypothesis ad hoc,
- indisputable fact,
- inescapable fact,
- inference,
- inner essence,
- innovation,
- introduce,
- introduction,
- kernel,
- launch,
- law,
- lay before,
- lay down,
- leap,
- lemma,
- major premise,
- make a motion,
- marrow,
- matter of fact,
- meat,
- minor premise,
- moot,
- move,
- naked fact,
- not guesswork,
- not opinion,
- nub,
- nucleus,
- nuts and bolts,
- offer a resolution,
- open up,
- overture,
- philosopheme,
- philosophical proposition,
- pith,
- plain,
- pose,
- posit,
- position,
- positive fact,
- postulation,
- postulatum,
- preamble,
- predicate,
- preface,
- prefer,
- prefix,
- prefixture,
- preliminary,
- prelude,
- premise,
- presume,
- presumption,
- presupposal,
- presupposition,
- principium,
- principle,
- proem,
- prolegomena,
- prolegomenon,
- prolepsis,
- prologue,
- propose,
- proposition,
- propositional function,
- propound,
- protasis,
- provable fact,
- put forth,
- put forward,
- put it to,
- quid,
- quiddity,
- quintessence,
- recommend,
- require,
- requisition,
- rule,
- salient fact,
- sap,
- self-evident fact,
- self-evident truth,
- set before,
- set forth,
- set of postulates,
- settled principle,
- significant fact,
- simple fact,
- sober fact,
- solicit,
- soul,
- spirit,
- start,
- statement,
- stubborn fact,
- stuff,
- submit,
- substance,
- suggest,
- sumption,
- supposal,
- supposing,
- supposition,
- surmise,
- the case,
- the nitty-gritty,
- theorem,
- thesis,
- truism,
- truth,
- truth table,
- truth-function,
- truth-value,
- undeniable fact,
- universal truth,
- verse,
- voluntary,
- well-known fact,
- working hypothesis