postulate

 仮定する、前提とする

[ The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver  P40より]

　（従兄弟のArthurは殺人罪で起訴されているが、ライムは彼が殺人事件を起こしたことを疑問に思い　）

He thought to himself:  Let's postulate  that  he didn't do it . If not,then the consequences were significant..... （中略）  If Art was innocent ,then someone had gone to a great deal of trouble to set him up.