MED对postulate的解释很失败

spearonsquare

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/postulate_2

postulate, noun:
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an idea that is an important part of a theory, argument, or explanation
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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？
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to claim or imagine that something is true or that it exists
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感觉朗文解释不错：
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: A$ r0 \. `% Iformal
, H8 H" ~$ v3 ~7 f7 J5 f3 [# Vsomething believed to be true, on which an argument or scientific discussion is based