Literary notes about Assumed (AI summary)
In literature, “assumed” functions as a versatile term that conveys both the adoption of an external guise and the acceptance of an abstract idea. Characters may assume a particular air or expression to influence interactions or hide their true emotions, as when a figure exhibits a mysterious, dignified, or gravely altered demeanor ([1],[2],[3]). The term also describes a deliberate act of taking on roles or responsibilities, whether in seizing power, as with those assuming command or authority ([4],[5]), or in adopting a new name or title that reshapes identity ([6],[7]). Meanwhile, authors extend its use to depict gradual transformations in scenery or abstract concepts, suggesting that landscapes or ideas may "assume" new forms or qualities over time ([8],[9]). This multiplicity of functions underscores the word’s rich role in conveying shifts in appearance, status, and underlying assumptions.
- He had assumed a tranquil air; he said to her,— “Would you like to have me bring him to you?”
— from Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo - The little lady put down her fork, assumed a mysterious air, and whispered: “Imagine a thing like this. .
— from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov - She bit her lips, and her face assumed an expression of hatred.
— from Les Misérables by Victor Hugo - This year Marcian and Valentinian assumed the empire, and reigned seven winters.
— from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle - General Halleck arrived at Pittsburg landing on the 11th of April and immediately assumed command in the field.
— from Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, Complete by Ulysses S. Grant - Besides, the term Phenician was not a name, but a title: which was assumed by people of different parts; as I shall shew.
— from A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 1 (of 6) by Jacob Bryant - Assumed the surname of Cleveland, in lieu of that of Willett, in 1817.
— from The Waterloo Roll Call by Charles Dalton - The next day we pursued our journey upon mules; and as we ascended still higher, the valley assumed a more magnificent and astonishing character.
— from Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - This has generally been assumed to be the case; but the assumption has been strongly controverted by M. Lemoine.
— from The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin
