MED对postulate的解释很失败

spearonsquare

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http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/postulate_2
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postulate, noun:

  L6 W! Y1 M4 Aan idea that is an important part of a theory, argument, or explanation

作为一个理论/论点/解释重要组成部分的思想/想法应该有很多，到底是什么样的想法呢？是干什么用的？

; B+ }, a8 N- `7 v! m) k在联系到动词：
- ?- t6 ~& r8 w3 |% g( Yto claim or imagine that something is true or that it exists
( M8 r; s& ?4 T6 U也没有充分体现假定/前提的意思。
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感觉朗文解释不错：
$ O7 w+ E& a: z) E; _5 s3 U' fpostulate:
* [1 `, V+ N4 _& R, y# |9 A' eformal
something believed to be true, on which an argument or scientific discussion is based