guess

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To give an answer or opinion without being sure if it is correct.

   Can you guess how old I am?

2. 2
   noun

   An attempt to give an answer when you are not sure.

   My guess is that there are about a hundred sweets in the jar.

3. 3
   verb

   To think or suppose that something is true (informal).

   I guess you're right about that.

4. 4
   verb

   To give the correct answer by guessing.

   She guessed the answer on her first try.

Common collocations

• good guess Adjective + noun
• lucky guess Adjective + noun
• make a guess Verb + noun
• have a guess Verb + noun
• take a guess Verb + noun
• venture a guess Verb + noun

From Middle English gessen (verb) and Middle English gesse (noun), probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Danish getse, gitse, getsa (“to guess”), from Old Norse *getsa, *gitsa, from Proto-Germanic *gitisōną (“to guess”), from Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to take, seize”). Cognate with Danish gisne (“to guess”), Norwegian gissa, gjette (“to guess”), Swedish gissa (“to guess”), Saterland Frisian gisje (“to guess”), Dutch gissen (“to guess”), Low German gissen (“to guess”), Dutch gis (“a guess”). Related also to Icelandic giska ("to guess"; from Proto…

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