GUESSING • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Guessing

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/gˈɛsɪŋ/ Listen

verb

Guess v. t. (past & past part. guessed; pres. part. guessing)

1.

To form an opinion concerning, without knowledge or means of knowledge; to judge of at random; to conjecture. "First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess."

2.

To judge or form an opinion of, from reasons that seem preponderating, but are not decisive. "We may then guess how far it was from his design." "Of ambushed men, whom, by their arms and dress, To be Taxallan enemies I guess."

3.

To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly; as, he who guesses the riddle shall have the ring; he has guessed my designs.

4.

To hit upon or reproduce by memory. (Obs.) "Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them."

5.

To think; to suppose; to believe; to imagine; followed by an objective clause. "Not all together; better far, I guess, That we do make our entrance several ways." "But in known images of life I guess The labor greater."

Synonyms: To conjecture; suppose; surmise; suspect; divine; think; imagine; fancy. To Guess, Think, Reckon. Guess denotes, to attempt to hit upon at random; as, to guess at a thing when blindfolded; to conjecture or form an opinion on hidden or very slight grounds: as, to guess a riddle; to guess out the meaning of an obscure passage. The use of the word guess for think or believe, although abundantly sanctioned by good English authors, is now regarded as antiquated and objectionable by discriminating writers. It may properly be branded as a colloguialism and vulgarism when used respecting a purpose or a thing about which there is no uncertainty; as, I guess I 'll go to bed.

Guess v. i. To make a guess or random judgment; to conjecture; with at, about, etc. "This is the place, as well as I may guess."

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Etymology of 'Guessing'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Guessing" Quotes from Famous Books

... Aaron Norman for Mrs. Krill, and she was paying him blood-money. But he did not dare to press the question, as Jessop was coming perilously near what the Irish call "the cross drop." He therefore proposed an adjournment to the sitting-room. Jessop agreed quite unsuspectingly, not guessing he was being trapped. The man was so large and uncouth that Hurd felt behind his waist to see that his revolver was loose and could be ...

— The Opal Serpent • Fergus Hume

... loft and there was a large open fire-place in it never used. But then, suppose he should come down before the fire in the room below was fairly out! he would get scorched. But it was too cold to sit long guessing about such matters, so he undressed himself quickly. Last of all, he drew off his right stocking. This he held in his hand—"Oh!" said he, "it has got a hole in it; the things will all come out!" Indeed, it ...

— Seven Little People and their Friends • Horace Elisha Scudder

... myself, for instance; and you cannot, Zara, with all your electric strength, unclasp my arms from your waist, because you have not the sentiment of repulsion towards me which would enable you to do it. Shall I go on guessing?" ...

— A Romance of Two Worlds • Marie Corelli

... for pictures. Everything was too neat and trim, and I remember that one day, when I was on my search for a "bit," I found a dilapidated barn which tempted me to sit down before it, when the farmwife, guessing my intentions, ran out to beg me "not to take the barn yet; they were going to do it up the next week as good as new, and ...

— The Autobiography of a Journalist, Volume I • Stillman, William James

... stupid of dear papa, but then, you see, they knew, and he didn't, which makes an immense difference in guessing. ...

— Harper's Young People, December 23, 1879 - An Illustrated Weekly • Various

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