guess

by guess and by gosh and by guess and by golly

Rur. by estimating; without careful planning. Jane: Did you have a plan for putting up that toolshed? Tom: Nope, we just sort of did it by guess and by gosh. Grandma always made dresses by guess and by golly, without using a pattern, and they always turned out just fine.

See also: and, gosh

guess at something

to estimate something; to give an opinion about what something might be. I hate to just guess at it, but if you insist: ten feet long. Go ahead, guess at the number of pennies in this jar.

Guess what!

Inf. a way of starting a conversation; a way of forcing someone into a conversation. Alice: Guess what! Bob: I don't know. What? Alice: I'm going to Europe this summer. Bob: That's very nice. John: Guess what! Jane: What? John: Mary is going to have a baby. Jane: Oh, that's great!

have another think coming and have another guess coming

to have to rethink something because one was wrong the first time. (Think is a noun here.) She's quite wrong. She has another think coming if she wants to walk in here like that. You have another guess coming if you think you can treat me like that!

See also: another, coming, have, think

I guess and I expect; I suppose; I suspect 

1. a phrase that introduces a supposition. (Frequently, in speech, suppose is reduced to 'spose, and expect and suspect are reduced to 'spect. The apostrophe is not always shown.) Bob: I guess it's going to rain. Bill: Oh, I don't know. Maybe so, maybe not. Alice: I expect you'll be wanting to leave pretty soon. John: Why? It's early yet.

2. a vague way of answering 'yes'. John: You want some more coffee? Jane: I 'spose. Alice: Ready to go? John: I spect.

I guess (so). and I believe so.; I expect (so).; I suppose (so).; I suspect (so).; I think so.

a vague expression of assent. (Frequently, in speech, suppose is reduced to 'spose, and expect and suspect are reduced to 'spect. The apostrophe is not always shown.) Tom: Will it rain today? Bob: I suppose so. Sue: Happy? Bill: I 'spect. Sue: You don't sound happy. Bill: I guess not.

I guess not. and (I) don't think so.; I expect not.; I suppose not.; I suspect not.; I think not.

a vague statement of negation. (More polite or gentle than simply saying no. Frequently, in speech, suppose is reduced to 'spose, and expect and suspect are reduced to 'spect. The apostrophe is not always shown.) Bill: It's almost too late to go to the movie. Shall we try anyway? Mary: I guess not. Tom: Will it rain? Mary: I 'spect not.

It's anybody's guess

No one knows, so anyone's guess is as good as anyone else's. A: When will the messenger be here? B: It's anybody's guess.

never would have guessed 

1. never would have thought something to be the case. (Not used in other tenses.) He was the one who did it? I never would have guessed. I never would have guessed that he wanted the job. He kept it a very good secret.

2. knew it all the time because it was so obvious. (Sarcastic. Not used in other tenses.) I never would have guessed that he wanted the job. He only begged and begged for it. Now she wants to go back home? I never would have guessed! She has been homesick for days.

See also: have, never

second-guess someone

to try to predict what some person will do before it is known to anyone, including the person. There is no point in trying to second-guess Bob. He is completely unpredictable.

take a guess and hazard a guess; make a guess

to guess. Even if you don't know, please take a guess. If you don't know the answer, hazard a guess.

See also: take

Your guess is as good as mine.

Inf. I do not know. Jane: Are there any good movies playing tonight? Alan: Your guess is as good as mine. Jill: How long should we bake this pie? Jane: Your guess is as good as mine.

See also: good, mine

---

an educated guess

a guess that is likely to be correct because you have enough knowledge about a particular subject Scientists can do no more than make educated guesses about future climate changes.

be anybody's guess

if a piece of information is anybody's guess, no one knows it Why Becky left is anybody's guess. 'So what's going to happen now?' 'That's anybody's guess.'

keep somebody guessing

if you keep someone guessing, you do not tell them what you are going to do or what will happen next The clever and complex plot kept the audience guessing right up to the superb final twist.

See also: keep

no prizes for guessing something   (British & Australian)

something that you say when it is very easy to guess something (usually + question word) No prizes for guessing who Neil wants to ask to the party.

See also: prize

second-guess somebody/something  

1. to try to guess what will happen or what someone will do It's not for us to second-guess the court's decision - we'll just have to wait and see.

2. to criticize someone's actions or an event after it has happened It's easy to second-guess the team's coach - but let's face it, he made big mistakes.

Your guess is as good as mine.  (informal)

something that you say when you do not know the answer to a question 'How long do you think this job will take?' 'Your guess is as good as mine.'

See be anybody's guess

See also: good, mine

---

something is anyone's guess also something is anybody's guess

no one knows the answer How the lawsuit will turn out is anybody's guess. At that point, whether he was dead or alive was anyone's guess.

guess what (spoken)

this will surprise you I want more for my son than a career running a photocopying machine, and guess what - so does my son.

Usage notes: often said for emphasis before telling someone something that is not really surprising at all

I guess so (spoken)

probably or possibly “Are you ready to leave?” “Yeah, I guess so.”

Usage notes: said instead of saying yes to suggest you are not completely sure

keep somebody guessing

to not let someone know what will happen next Right up to the last minute the movie keeps you guessing about whether the astronauts will make it home.

See also: keep

keep you guessing

to cause you to be uncertain I really enjoy a good mystery story that keeps me guessing the whole time.

See also: keep

your guess is as good as mine (spoken)

I do not know the answer to that question If you want to know why she left me, well, your guess is as good as mine.

See also: good, mine