proposition

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: prop=o=si=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

proposition, n. [L. propositio: cf. F. proposition. See Propound.].

•  The act of setting or placing before; the act of offering.  Jer. Taylor.  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is proposed; that which is offered, as for consideration, acceptance, or adoption; a proposal; as, the enemy made propositions of peace; his proposition was not accepted.  [1913 Webster]
•  A statement of religious doctrine; an article of faith; creed; as, the propositions of Wyclif and Huss.  [1913 Webster]

  "Some persons . . . change their propositions according as their temporal necessities or advantages do turn."  [1913 Webster]
•  A complete sentence, or part of a sentence consisting of a subject and predicate united by a copula; a thought expressed or propounded in language; a from of speech in which a predicate is affirmed or denied of a subject; as, snow is white.  [1913 Webster]
•  A statement in terms of a truth to be demonstrated, or of an operation to be performed.  [1913 Webster]

  " It is called a theorem when it is something to be proved, and a problem when it is something to be done."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is offered or affirmed as the subject of the discourse; anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration.  [1913 Webster]
•  The part of a poem in which the author states the subject or matter of it.  [1913 Webster]

Leaves of proposition (Jewish Antiq.), the showbread. Wyclif (Luke vi. 4).

Syn. -- Proposal; offer; statement; declaration.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

proposition, n. & v.
--n.
1 a statement or assertion.
2 a scheme proposed; a proposal.
3 Logic a statement consisting of subject and predicate that is subject to proof or disproof.
4 colloq. a problem, opponent, prospect, etc. that is to be dealt with (a difficult proposition).
5 Math. a formal statement of a theorem or problem, often including the demonstration.
6 a an enterprise etc. with regard to its likelihood of commercial etc. success. b a person regarded similarly.
7 colloq. a sexual proposal.
--v.tr. colloq. make a proposal (esp. of sexual intercourse) to (he propositioned her).

Idiom

not a proposition unlikely to succeed.

Derivative

propositional adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF proposition or L propositio (as PROPOUND)

THESAURUS

proposition

a priori principle, a priori truth, accost, advance, affair, affirmance, affirmation, allegation, announcement, annunciation, approach, apriorism, assertion, asseveration, assumed position, assumption, attempt, averment, avouchment, avowal, axiom, basis, bring before, bring forward, bring up, broach, brocard, business, categorical proposition, commend to attention, commitment, conclusion, conjecture, contract, creed, data, deal, declaration, dictate, dictum, effort, engagement, enterprise, enunciation, first principles, formula, foundation, game plan, golden rule, ground, guesswork, hypothesis, hypothesis ad hoc, importune, improper suggestion, indecent proposal, inference, instance, introduce, invitation, ipse dixit, launch, law, lay before, lemma, major premise, make a motion, make a pass, make advances, make an overture, manifesto, minor premise, moot, motion, move, obligation, offer a resolution, open up, operation, overture, pass, philosopheme, philosophical proposition, plan, pose, position, position paper, positive declaration, postulate, postulation, postulatum, predicate, predication, prefer, premise, presumption, presupposal, presupposition, principium, principle, proclamation, profession, proffer, program, project, projection, pronouncement, proposal, propose, propositional function, propound, prospectus, protest, protestation, put, put forth, put forward, put it to, recommend, request, resolution, rule, say, say-so, saying, scenario, self-evident truth, set before, set forth, set of postulates, settled principle, sexual advance, solicit, stance, stand, start, statement, submit, suggest, suggestion, sumption, supposal, supposing, supposition, surmise, task, theorem, thesis, throw a pass, truism, truth, truth table, truth-function, truth-value, undertaking, universal truth, utterance, venture, vouch, word, work, working hypothesis

ROGET THESAURUS

proposition

Plan

N plan, scheme, design, project, proposal, proposition, suggestion, resolution, motion, precaution, deep- laid plan, system, organization, germ, sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche, brouillon, rough cast, rough draft, draught copy, copy, proof, revise, drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation), forecast, program, programme, prospectus, carte du pays, card, bill, protocol, order of the day, list of agenda, bill of fare, base of operations, platform, plank, slate, ticket, role, policy, contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device, pipelaying, stratagem, trick, alternative, loophole, shift, last shift, measure, step, stroke, stroke of policy, master stroke, trump card, court card, cheval de bataille, great gun, coup, coup d'etat, clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke, bright thought, bright idea, intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot, machination, subplot, underplot, counterplot, schemer, schemist, schematist, strategist, machinator, projector, artist, promoter, designer, conspirator, intrigant, planned, strategic, strategical, planning, prepared, in course of preparation, under consideration, on the tapis, on the carpet, on the floor.

Offer

N offer, proffer, presentation, tender, bid, overture, proposal, proposition, motion, invitation, candidature, offering, offering, offered, in the market, for sale, to let, disengaged, on hire.

Request

N request, requisition, claim, petition, suit, prayer, begging letter, round robin, motion, overture, application, canvass, address, appeal, apostrophe, imprecation, rogation, proposal, proposition, orison, incantation, mendicancy, asking, begging, postulation, solicitation, invitation, entreaty, importunity, supplication, instance, impetration, imploration, obsecration, obtestation, invocation, interpellation, requesting, precatory, suppliant, supplicant, supplicatory, postulant, obsecratory, importunate, clamorous, urgent, cap in hand, on one's knees, on one's bended knees, on one's marrowbones, prithee, do, please, pray, be so good as, be good enough, have the goodness, vouchsafe, will you, I pray thee, if you please, Int, for God's sake!, for heaven's sake!, for goodness' sake!, for mercy's sake!, Dieu vous garde, dirigenos Domine, would you be so kind as to.

Topic

N topic, subject of thought, material for thought, food for the mind, mental pabulum, subject, subject matter, matter, theme, noemata, topic, what it is about, thesis, text, business, affair, matter in hand, argument, motion, resolution, head, chapter, case, point, proposition, theorem, field of inquiry, moot point, problem, thought of, uppermost in the mind, in petto, under consideration, in question, in the mind, on foot, on the carpet, on the docket, on the tapis, relative to.

Reasoning,

N reasoning ratiocination rationalism, dialectics, induction, generalization, discussion, comment, ventilation, inquiry, argumentation, controversy, debate, polemics, wrangling, contention, logomachy, disputation, disceptation, paper war, art of reasoning, logic, process of reasoning, train of reasoning, chain of reasoning, deduction, induction, abduction, synthesis, analysis, argument, case, plaidoyer, opening, lemma, proposition, terms, premises, postulate, data, starting point, principle, inference, prosyllogism, syllogism, enthymeme, sorites, dilemma, perilepsis, a priori reasoning, reductio ad absurdum, horns of a dilemma, argumentum ad hominem, comprehensive argument, empirema, epagoge, reasoner, logician, dialectician, disputant, controversialist, controvertist, wrangler, arguer, debater polemic, casuist, rationalist, scientist, eristic, logical sequence, good case, correct just reasoning, sound reasoning, valid reasoning, cogent reasoning, logical reasoning, forcible reasoning, persuasive reasoning, persuasory reasoning, consectary reasoning, conclusive, subtle reasoning, force of argument, strong point, strong argument, persuasive argument, arguments, reasons, pros and cons, reasoning, rationalistic, argumentative, controversial, dialectic, polemical, discursory, discursive, disputatious, Aristotelian, eristic, eristical, debatable, controvertible, logical, relevant, for, because, hence, whence, seeing that, since, sith, then thence so, for that reason, for this reason, for which reason, for as, inasmuch as, whereas, ex concesso, considering, in consideration of, therefore, wherefore, consequently, ergo, thus, accordingly, a fortiori, in conclusion, in fine, finally, after all, au bout du compt, on the whole, taking one thing with another, ab actu ad posse valet consecutio, per troppo dibatter la verita si perde, troppo disputare la verita fa errare.

Supposition

N supposition, assumption, assumed position, postulation, condition, presupposition, hypothesis, blue sky hypothesis, postulate, postulatum, theory, thesis, theorem, data, proposition, position, proposal, presumption, divination, conjecture, guess, guesswork, speculation, rough guess, shot, shot in the dark, conjecturality, surmise, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, estimate, approximation (nearness), inkling, suggestion, hint, intimation, notion, impression, bare supposition, vague supposition, loose supposition, loose suggestion, association of ideas, (analogy), metonym, metonymy, simile (metaphor), conceit, idea, thought, original idea, invention (imagination), supposing, given, mooted, postulatory, assumed, supposititious, suppositive, suppositious, gratuitous, speculative, conjectural, hypothetical, theoretical, academic, supposable, presumptive, putative, suppositional, suggestive, allusive, if, if so be, an, on the supposition, ex hypothesi, in the case, in the event of, quasi, as if, provided, perhaps, for aught one knows.