- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly; as, he who guesses the riddle shall have the ring; he has guessed my designs.
- To hit upon or reproduce by memory.ObsTell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.
- 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.To conjecture; suppose; surmise; suspect; divine; think; imagine; fancy.
