Defn: A female supporter. [R.]
You are my gracious patroness and supportress. Massinger.
SUPPOSABLE
Sup*pos"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being supposed, or imagined to exist; as, that is
not a supposable case.
— Sup*pos"a*ble*ness, n.
— Sup*pos"a*bly, adv.
SUPPOSAL
Sup*pos"al, n.
Defn: The act of supposing; also, that which is supposed; supposition; opinion. Shak. Interest, with a Jew, never proceeds but upon supposal, at least, of a firm and sufficient bottom. South.
SUPPOSE Sup*pose", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Supposed; p. pr. & vb. n. Supposing.] Etym: [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 represent to one's self, or state to another, not as true or real, but as if so, and with a view to some consequence or application which the reality would involve or admit of; to imagine or admit to exist, for the sake of argument or illustration; to assume to be true; as, let us suppose the earth to be the center of the system, what would be the result Suppose they take offence without a cause. Shak. When we have as great assurance that a thing is, as we could possibly, supposing it were, we ought not to make any doubt of its existence. Tillotson.
2. To imagine; to believe; to receive as true. How easy is a bush supposed a bear! Shak. Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead. 2 Sam. xiii. 32.
3. To require to exist or to be true; to imply by the laws of thought or of nature; as, purpose supposes foresight. One falsehood always supposes another, and renders all you can say suspected. Female Quixote.
4. To put by fraud in the place of another. [Obs.]