guess / ges/ • v. [tr.] estimate or suppose (something) without sufficient information to be sure of being correct: she guessed the child's age to be 14 or 15 | he took her aside, and I guessed that he was offering her a job. ∎  (guess at) make a conjecture about: their motives he could only guess at. ∎  correctly conjecture or perceive: she's guessed where we're going. ∎  [in imper.] used to introduce something considered surprising or exciting: guess what I've just seen! ∎  (I guess) inf. used to indicate that although one thinks or supposes something, it is without any great conviction or strength of feeling: I guess I'd better tell you everything. • n. an estimate or conjecture: my guess is that within a year we will have a referendum.PHRASES: anybody's (or anyone's) guess very difficult or impossible to determine: how well the system will work is anybody's guess.keep someone guessing inf. leave someone uncertain or in doubt as to one's intentions or plans.DERIVATIVES: guess·a·ble adj.guess·er n.

guess1 †take aim XIII; form an approximate judgement or estimate of XIV. ME. gesse, with early var. agesse; perh. orig. naut. and — vars. with -e- of MLG., MDu. (Du., Fris.) gissen, or OSw. gissa, ODa. gitse; ult. f. base of GET.
So guess sb. XIV.

Guess / ges/ , George, see Sequoya.

guess2 (with var. guest) in guess-rope XVII (guestrope), guess-warp XV (gyes warpe), rope for steadying a boat in tow, etc.; of uncert. orig.

Guess

of diagnosticians—Mensa.