Definition of "guess"

guess¹

/ɡɛs/

verb
third-person singular simple present guesses, present participle guessing, simple past and past participle guessed
1. To reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion.
2. To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.
3. (chiefly US) to suppose (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).
  Quotations
  Not all together; better far, I guess, / That we do make our entrance several ways.
  c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene i]
  But in known images of life I guess / The labour greater.
  1733–1737, Alexander Pope, [Imitations of Horace], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley [et al.]
  "Are you a member of the union?""Sure.""Then you'll get your job, I guess. Have you any friends?"
  1914–1915, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear
4. (colloquial) To think, conclude, or decide (without a connotation of uncertainty). Usually in first person: "I guess".
5. (obsolete) To hit upon or reproduce by memory.
  Quotations
  Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.
  c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i]

guess²

/ɡɛs/

noun
plural guesses
1. A prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.
  Quotations
  "But I shall have eleven guesses," answered Ozma. "Surely I ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if I do, I shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself. Then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved."
  1907, L. Frank Baum, Ozma of Oz
  We are twelve billion light years from the edge / That's a guess
  2005, Mike Batt (lyrics and music), “Nine Million Bicycles”, performed by Katie Melua

Definition of "guess"

guess1

verb

Quotations

Quotations

guess2

noun

Quotations

guess¹

guess²