premise in WordNet English dictionary

1. a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
   "on the assumption that he has been injured we can infer that he will not to play"
   premise  premiss  assumption 
   

1. furnish with a preface or introduction
   "She always precedes her lectures with a joke"; "He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution"
   precede  preface  premise  introduce 
   
2. take something as preexisting and given
   premise  premiss 
   
3. set forth beforehand, often as an explanation
   "He premised these remarks so that his readers might understand"
   premise