deduce
English
Verb
To reach a conclusion by applying rules of logic to given premises.
* Alexander Pope
- O goddess, say, shall I deduce my rhymes / From the dire nation in its early times?
* John Locke
- Reasoning is nothing but the faculty of deducing unknown truths from principles already known.
* Sir Walter Scott
- See what regard will be paid to the pedigree which deduces your descent from kings and conquerors.
(obsolete) To take away; to deduct; to subtract.
- to deduce a part from the whole
- (Ben Jonson)
(obsolete, Latinism) To lead forth.
* Selden
- He should hither deduce a colony.
Usage notes
For example, from the premises "all good people believe in the tooth fairy" and "Jimmy does not believe in the tooth fairy", we deduce the conclusion "Jimmy is not a good person". This particular form of deduction is called a syllogism. Note that in this case we reach a false conclusion by correct deduction from a false premise.
Antonyms
* (reach a conclusion by applying rules of logic)
Synonyms
* (reach a conclusion by applying rules of logic)
Related terms
(terms related to "deduce")
* adduce
* conduct
* conducive
* deduct
* deduction
* duke
* induce
* introduce
* reduce
* reduction
* seduce
* subduction
* transduce
Anagrams
*
*
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