əˈsʌmp.ʃən ˌɪntɹəˈdus ˌɪntɹəˈdjuːs pɹəˈsiːd ˈpɹɛfəs ˈpɹɛ.mɪs ˈpɹɛ.mɪs take something as preexisting and given 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 set forth beforehand, often as an explanation He premised these remarks so that his readers might understand 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 play