Definition of "guess" in English

verb

1. To reach a partly (or totally) unconfirmed conclusion; to engage in conjecture; to speculate.

   • We can only guess at what was going through her mind.
   • She guessed that the delivery driver must have got stuck in traffic.

2. To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.

   • He who guesses the riddle shall have the ring.
   • You guessed the right answer!
   • You will never guess what happened next.

3. (chiefly US) to suppose, to imagine (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).

   • That album is quite hard to find, but I guess you could try ordering it online.

4. (colloquial) To think, conclude, or decide (without a connotation of uncertainty). Usually in first person: "I guess".

   • "I guess you were right." "What did he say?" "He guesses you were right."
   • "I guess I'll go to bed."

5. (obsolete) To hit upon or reproduce by memory.

noun

1. A prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.

   • If you don't know the answer, take a guess.