*gues*

n. [ F. Bételgeuse, of Arabic origin. ] (Astron.) A bright star of the first magnitude, near one shoulder of Orion. [ Written also Betelgeux and Betelgeuse. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ Cf. Breeches. ] Breeches. [ Obs. ] Shenstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Partnership in office. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To conjecture. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Guessed p. pr. & vb. n. Guessing. ] [ OE. gessen; akin to Dan. gisse, Sw. gissa, Icel. gizha, D. gissen: cf. Dan. giette to guess, Icel. geta to get, to guess. Probably originally, to try to get, and akin to E. get. See Get. ] 1. To form an opinion concerning, without knowledge or means of knowledge; to judge of at random; to conjecture. [ 1913 Webster ]

First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To judge or form an opinion of, from reasons that seem preponderating, but are not decisive. [ 1913 Webster ]

We may then guess how far it was from his design. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of ambushed men, whom, by their arms and dress,
To be Taxallan enemies I guess. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly; as, he who guesses the riddle shall have the ring; he has guessed my designs. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To hit upon or reproduce by memory. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To think; to suppose; to believe; to imagine; -- followed by an objective clause. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not all together; better far, I guess,
That we do make our entrance several ways. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

But in known images of life I guess
The labor greater. Pope.

Syn. -- To conjecture; suppose; surmise; suspect; divine; think; imagine; fancy. -- To Guess, Think, Reckon. Guess denotes, to attempt to hit upon at random; as, to guess at a thing when blindfolded; to conjecture or form an opinion on hidden or very slight grounds: as, to guess a riddle; to guess out the meaning of an obscure passage. The use of the word guess for think or believe, although abundantly sanctioned by good English authors, is now regarded as antiquated and objectionable by discriminating writers. It may properly be branded as a colloguialism and vulgarism when used respecting a purpose or a thing about which there is no uncertainty; as, I guess I 'll go to bed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make a guess or random judgment; to conjecture; -- with at, about, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is the place, as well as I may guess. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An opinion as to anything, formed without sufficient or decisive evidence or grounds; an attempt to hit upon the truth by a random judgment; a conjecture; a surmise. [ 1913 Webster ]

A poet must confess
His art 's like physic -- but a happy guess. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being guessed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who guesses; one who forms or gives an opinion without means of knowing. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By way of conjecture. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Conjectural. [ Obs. ] Feltham. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Naut.) A guess warp. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ from guess and estimate ] an estimate based on little information, being little better than a guess. [ PJC ]

(Naut.) A rope or hawser by which a vessel is towed or warped along; -- so called because it is necessary to guess at the length to be carried in the boat making the attachment to a distant object. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Work performed, or results obtained, by guess; conjecture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. gest, AS. gæst, gest; akin to OS., D., & G. gast, Icel. gestr, Sw. gäst, Dan. Gjäst, Goth. gasts, Russ. goste, and to L. hostis enemy, stranger; the meaning stranger is the older one, but the root is unknown. Cf. Host an army, Hostile. ] 1. A visitor; a person received and entertained in one's house or at one's table; a visitor entertained without pay. [ 1913 Webster ]

To cheer his guests, whom he had stayed that night. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

True friendship's laws are by this rule exprest.
Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A lodger or a boarder at a hotel, lodging house, or boarding house. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) Any insect that lives in the nest of another without compulsion and usually not as a parasite. (b) An inquiline. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To receive or entertain hospitably. [ Obs. ] Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be, or act the part of, a guest. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And tell me, best of princes, who he was
That guested here so late. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Naut.) The line by which a boat makes fast to the swinging boom. Ham. Nav. Encyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the manner of a guest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a guest entertained and staying overnight in one's house for one or more nights. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

v. t. & i. To guess wrongly. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , a. & adv. [ A corruption of othergates. ] Of another kind or sort; in another way. “Otherguess arguments.” Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. portugais, Sp. portugues, Pg. portuguez. ] Of or pertaining to Portugal, or its inhabitants. -- n. sing. & pl. A native or inhabitant of Portugal; people of Portugal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Portuguese man-of-war. (Zool.) See Physalia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being a rogue. [ Jocose ] “Your rogueship.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who uses his tongue; a talker; a story-teller; a gossip. [ Poetic. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Step by step we rose to greatness; through the tonguesters we may fall. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]