This is the technical definition of "presupposition" for linguistics: 1) mutually assumed background information that 2) is necessary to understand that utterance and 3) is triggered by a particular feature in the utterance.
Example:
John 7:19-20
"'Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?' The people answered, 'You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?'"
1) Jesus' entire question assumes the people were trying to kill Him. 2) Apart from that shared meaning, Jesus' question makes no sense. 3) The question word 'why' triggers the assumption.
The additional feature we learn about this passage is that the people do not claim to share Jesus' assumption, known as presupposition failure. However, we know from the broader context that the people's claim of ignorance of Jesus' presupposition (an assassination plot) is only superficial.
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