From Middle English gessen (verb) and Middle English gesse (noun), probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Danish getse, gitse, getsa (“to guess”), from Old Norse *getsa, *gitsa, from Proto-Germanic *gitisōną (“to guess”), from Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to take, seize”). Cognate with Danish gisne (“to guess”), Norwegian gissa, gjette (“to guess”), Swedish gissa (“to guess”), Saterland Frisian gisje (“to guess”), Dutch gissen (“to guess”), Low German gissen (“to guess”), Dutch gis (“a guess”). Related also to Icelandic giska ("to guess"; from Proto-Germanic *gitiskōną). Compare also Russian гада́ть (gadátʹ, “to conjecture, guess, divine”), Albanian gjëzë (“riddle”) from gjej (“find, recover, obtain”). More at get.
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!
1 more example
You will never guess what happened next.
3
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.
Not all together; better far, I guess, / That we do make our entrance several ways.c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
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But in known images of life I guess / The labour greater.1733–1737, Alexander Pope, [Imitations of Horace], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley [et al.]:
"Are you a member of the union?" "Sure." "Then you'll get your job, I guess. Have you any friends?"1914–1915, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear:
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."
Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
From Middle English gessen (verb) and Middle English gesse (noun), probably of North Germanic origin, from Old Danish getse, gitse, getsa (“to guess”), from Old Norse *getsa, *gitsa, from Proto-Germanic *gitisōną (“to guess”), from Proto-Germanic *getaną (“to get”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to take, seize”). Cognate with Danish gisne (“to guess”), Norwegian gissa, gjette (“to guess”), Swedish gissa (“to guess”), Saterland Frisian gisje (“to guess”), Dutch gissen (“to guess”), Low German gissen (“to guess”), Dutch gis (“a guess”). Related also to Icelandic giska ("to guess"; from Proto-Germanic *gitiskōną). Compare also Russian гада́ть (gadátʹ, “to conjecture, guess, divine”), Albanian gjëzë (“riddle”) from gjej (“find, recover, obtain”). More at get.
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.
"But I shall have eleven guesses," answered Ozma. "Surely I ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if I do, I shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself. Then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved."1907, L. Frank Baum, Ozma of Oz:
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We are twelve billion light years from the edge / That's a guess2005, Mike Batt, “Nine Million Bicycles”, performed by Katie Melua: