Surmise

Surmise
Surmise Sur*mise", n. [OF. surmise accusation, fr. surmettre, p. p. surmis, to impose, accuse; sur (see {Sur-}) + mettre to put, set, L. mittere to send. See {Mission}.] 1. A thought, imagination, or conjecture, which is based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess; as, the surmisses of jealousy or of envy. [1913 Webster]

[We] double honor gain From his surmise proved false. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practicies contradict his profession; not upon small surmises. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

2. Reflection; thought. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Conjecture; supposition; suspicion; doubt. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • surmise — vb *conjecture, guess Analogous words: *infer, gather, judge, deduce, conclude: *think, conceive, fancy, imagine: *consider, regard, deem surmise n conjecture, guess (see under CONJECTURE vb) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • surmise — [n] guess, conclusion assumption, attempt, conjecture, deduction, guesstimate*, guesswork, hunch, hypothesis, idea, inference, notion, opinion, possibility, presumption, sneaking suspicion*, speculation, supposition, suspicion, theory, thought;… …   New thesaurus

  • surmise — [sər mīz′; ] for n., also [ sʉr′mīz΄] n. [ME surmyse < OFr surmise, accusation, fem. of surmis, pp. of surmettre, lit., to put upon, hence to accuse < sur (see SUR 1) + mettre, to put < L mittere, to send (see MISSION)] 1. an idea or… …   English World dictionary

  • Surmise — Sur*mise , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Surmised}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Surmising}.] To imagine without certain knowledge; to infer on slight grounds; to suppose, conjecture, or suspect; to guess. [1913 Webster] It wafted nearer yet, and then she knew That… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • surmise — I verb apprehend, assume, augurari, be of the opinion, believe, conceive, conclude, conjecture, count, deduce, deem, divine, esteem, fancy, feel, gather, guess, have an idea, hazard a guess, hypothesize, imagine, infer, judge, opine, posit,… …   Law dictionary

  • surmise — meaning ‘to infer doubtfully’ and (as a noun) ‘a conjecture or suspicion’, is spelt ise, not ize. See ize, ise …   Modern English usage

  • surmise — ► VERB ▪ suppose without having evidence. ► NOUN ▪ a supposition or guess. ORIGIN originally in the sense «allege formally»: from Old French, accused , from Latin supermittere put in afterwards …   English terms dictionary

  • surmise — [[t]sə(r)ma͟ɪz[/t]] surmises, surmising, surmised 1) VERB If you surmise that something is true, you guess it from the available evidence, although you do not know for certain. [FORMAL] [V wh] There s so little to go on, we can only surmise what… …   English dictionary

  • surmise — UK [sə(r)ˈmaɪz] / US [sərˈmaɪz] verb [transitive] Word forms surmise : present tense I/you/we/they surmise he/she/it surmises present participle surmising past tense surmised past participle surmised formal to guess that something is true, when… …   English dictionary

  • surmise — I n. (formal) conjecture a surmise that + clause (she expressed a surmise that the situation would improve) II v. (L) I surmised that the situation would improve * * * [sə maɪz] (L) I surmised that the situation would improve (formal) [… …   Combinatory dictionary

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