GUESSES
Noun
guesses
plural of guess
Verb
guesses
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of guess
Source: Wiktionary
GUESS
Guess, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Guessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Guessing.] Etym:
[OE. gessen; akin to Dan. gisse, Sw. gissa, Icel. gizha, D. gissen:
cf. Dan. giette to guess, Icel. geta to get, to guess. Probably
originally, to try to get, and akin to E. get. See Get.]
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. Pope.
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. Milton.
Of ambushed men, whom, by their arms and dress, To be Taxallan
enemies I guess. Dryden.
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. Shak.
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. Shak.
But in known images of life I guess The labor greater. Pope.
Syn.
– 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.
Definition: To make a guess or random judgment; to conjecture; -- with at,
about, etc
This is the place, as well as I may guess. Milton.
Guess, n.
Definition: 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.
Dryden.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition