GUESS • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Guess

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/gɛs/ 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."

noun

Guess n. An opinion as to anything, formed without sufficient or decisive evidence or grounds; an attempt to hit upon the truth by a random judgment; a conjecture; a surmise. "A poet must confess His art 's like physic but a happy guess."

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Etymology of 'Guess'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Guess" Quotes from Famous Books

... of Borrow has ever been published: a few dates, and some more or less intelligent opinions about his character and work, are the sum of what we know of him—outside his own books. Some of the dates are probably guess-work; most of the opinions are incompetent: it is time that some adequate mind assembled all available materials and digested them into a satisfactory book. It is hardly worth while to review the few meagre details. Borrow was born in 1803 and died in 1881; his ...

— Library Of The World's Best Literature, Ancient And Modern, Vol. 5 • Various

... Pamiers, formerly a commander of the Knights of Malta. This was one of those undying friendships founded on sexagenary ties which nothing can weaken, because at the bottom of such intimacies there are certain secrets of the human heart, delightful to guess at when we have the time, insipid to explain in twenty words, and which might make the text of a work in four volumes as amusing as the Doyen de Killerine,—a work about which young men talk and judge without having ...

— Ferragus • Honore de Balzac

... a lovely Youth! I guess The panther in the wilderness Was not so fair as he; And, when he chose to sport and play, 40 No dolphin ever was so gay Upon ...

— The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Vol. II. • William Wordsworth

... "I guess I love you," she said, in her strange, little, flat voice. "You come in and see father. We are most there. Here is Mis' Robbins' gate. I used to see her flowers. Her yard's full of them, ...

— Janice Day at Poketown • Helen Beecher Long

... had sign'd it "Jack Horner:" but Taylor and Hessey said, it would be thought an offensive article, unless I put my known signature to it; and wrung from me my slow consent. But did you read the "Memoir of Liston"? and did you guess whose it was? Of all the Lies I ever put off, I value this most. It is from top to toe, every paragraph, Pure Invention; and has passed for Gospel, has been republished in newspapers, and in the penny play-bills of the Night, as an authentic Account. I shall certainly go to the Naughty Man ...

— The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb (Vol. 6) - Letters 1821-1842 • Charles and Mary Lamb

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