MEAN n.
ween. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. He wooeth her by means and by brokage. Chaucer. By all means, certainly; without fail; as, go, by all means. -- By any means, in any way; possibly; at all. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Phil. iii. ll. -- By no means, or By no manner of means, not at all; ce…
PRESUMPTION n.
Law), an argument of a fact from a fact; an inference as to the existence of one fact not certainly known, from the existence of some other fact known or proved, founded on a previous experience of their connection; supposition of the truth or real existence of something, without direct or positive proof of the fact, b…
SKEPTIC n.
A doubter as to whether any fact or truth can be certainly known; a universal doubter; a Pyrrhonist; hence, in modern usage, occasionally, a person who questions whether any truth or fact can be established on philosophical grounds; sometimes, a critical inquirer, in opposition to a dogmatist. All this criticism [of Hu…