surmise

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sur·mise • v. / sərˈmīz/ [intr.] suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it: he surmised that something must be wrong | [with direct speech] “I don't think they're locals,” she surmised. • n. / sərˈmīz; ˈsərˌmīz/ a supposition that something may be true, even though there is no evidence to confirm it: Charles was glad to have his surmise confirmed | all these observations remain surmise. ORIGIN: late Middle English (in the senses ‘formal allegation’ and ‘allege formally’): from Anglo-Norman French and Old French surmise, feminine past participle of surmettre ‘accuse,’ from late Latin supermittere ‘put in afterward,’ from super- ‘over’ + mittere ‘send.’