guess

guessverb

To guess is to say or believe something without being sure that it is true.

1. without knowinggive an answer or form an opinion without knowing all the facts

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + wh-clause [V + wh] verb + that-clause [V + that] verb + object [V + obj] verb + preposition + object [V + prep + obj]

   • Can you guess how old she is? V + wh
   • I'd guess that he's about forty. V + that
   • If you don't know the answer, just guess.
   • We can only guess at the reasons for his decision. V + prep + obj

   Collocations

   verb + preposition guess at something

   adverb + verb only guess, just guess

   verb + adverb guess wrong

   Synonyms estimate

2. get it rightfind the right answer to something when you did not know it for certain

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj] verb + wh-clause [V + wh] verb + that-clause [V + that]

   • You'll never guess who I saw at the station! V + wh
   • She guessed the answer right away. V + obj
   • I guessed right: it was a boy.
   • Nobody guessed that they were brother and sister. V + that

   Collocations

   verb + noun guess the answer, guess the name, guess someone's age

   verb + adverb guess right, guess correctly

3. I guessthink that something is probably true, or accept it without being very sure or very happy

   Used mainly in the phrase I guess, to make what you say sound less certain, or to agree with something without much interest.

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + that-clause [V + that] informalAmerican

   • I guess you're right. V + that
   • "Are you coming with us?" "I guess so."
   • I guess I'll just have to wait. V + that

   Collocations

   phrase I guess so, I guess not, I guess that

   Synonyms suppose; think; expect

   For translators (sense 3)

   Meaning across languages I guess often does not mean real guessing. It is like I suppose or probably, and it can show that the speaker agrees without much interest.