Definitions for surmise
sərˈmaɪz; ˈsɜr maɪzsur·mise

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. guess, conjecture, supposition, surmise, surmisal, speculation, hypothesisverb

   a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence

2. surmiseverb

   infer from incomplete evidence

3. suspect, surmiseverb

   imagine to be the case or true or probable

   "I suspect he is a fugitive"; "I surmised that the butler did it"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. surmisenoun

   Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess; as, surmises of jealousy or of envy.

2. surmisenoun

   Reflection; thought; posit.

3. surmiseverb

   To conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.

4. Etymology: From surmis, past participle of surmetre, from sur- + metre.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Surmisenoun

   Imperfect notion; suspicion; imagination not supported by knowledge.

   Etymology: surmise, French.

   To let go private surmises, whereby the thing itself is not made better or worse; if just and allowable reasons might lead them to do as they did, then are these censures frustrate. Hook.

   They were by law of that proud tyrannes,
   Provok’d with wrath, and envy’s false surmise,
   Condemned to that dungeon merciless,
   Where they should live in woe, and die in wretchedness. F. Q.

   Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heart
   Will not permit my eyes once to behold
   The thing, whereat it trembles by surmise. William Shakespeare.

   My thought, whose murthering yet is but fantastical,
   Shakes so my single state of man, that function
   Is smother’d in surmise. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   We double honour gain
   From his surmise prov’d false. John Milton.

   No sooner did they espy the English turning from them, but they were of opinion that they fled towards their shipping: this surmise was occasioned, for that the English ships removed the day before. John Hayward.

   Hence guilty joys, distastes, surmises,
   False oaths, false tears, deceits, disguises. Alexander Pope.

   No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices contradict his profession; not upon small surmises. Jonathan Swift.

2. To Surmiseverb

   To suspect; to image imperfectly; to imagine without certain knowledge.

   Etymology: surmise, French.

   Man coveteth what exceedeth the reach of sense, yea somewhat above capacity of reason, somewhat divine and heavenly, which with hidden exultation it rather surmiseth than conceiveth; somewhat it seeketh, and what that is directly it knoweth not; yet very intentive desire thereof doth so incite it, that all other known delights and pleasures are laid aside, and they give place to the search of this but only suspected desire. Richard Hooker.

   Of questions and strifes of words cometh envy, railings, and evil surmisings. 1 Tim. vi. 4.

   Surmise not
   His presence to these narrow bounds confin’d. John Milton.

   It wasted nearer yet, and then she knew
   That what before she but surmis’d, was true. Dryden.

   This change was not wrought by altering the form or position of the earth, as was surmised by a very learned man, but by dissolving it. John Woodward.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Surmisenoun

   a thought, imagination, or conjecture, which is based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess; as, the surmisses of jealousy or of envy

2. Surmisenoun

   reflection; thought

3. Surmiseverb

   to imagine without certain knowledge; to infer on slight grounds; to suppose, conjecture, or suspect; to guess

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Surmise

   sur-mīz′, n. suspicion: conjecture.—v.t. to imagine: to suspect.—adjs. Surmī′sable, Surmī′sant.—n. Surmī′ser. [O. Fr.,—surmettre, to accuse—L. super, upon, mittĕre, to send.]

Matched Categories

1. • Guess
   • Infer

Anagrams for surmise »

1. misuser

How to pronounce surmise?

1. Alex

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How to say surmise in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of surmise in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of surmise in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of surmise in a Sentence

1. Meghan McCain:

   My little sister Bridget, for the first time ever, has decided that she wants to speak out. She's very, very private. ... Anyone who knows anything about political history could probably surmise why she's chosen to lead a very private life, but she felt inclined to say and tweet this, it's very brave of her -- she's young and she does not speak publicly.

2. Yuri Lapshin:

   The hydrotechnical structure was built in a makeshift way, as I surmise, in violation of all conceivable and inconceivable standards.

3. Craig Pirrong:

   I would surmise that in say five years there will be robust derivatives markets in LNG.

4. David Fajgenbaum:

   In the same way that monoclonal antibodies are extraordinarily effective given early in the disease course, one would surmise that plasma would be more likely to be more helpful if given earlier, and these trials just haven't been studying it in earlier disease course.

5. Omar Khayyám:

   Living Life Tomorrow's fate, though thou be wise, Thou canst not tell nor yet surmise; Pass, therefore, not today in vain, For it will never come again.

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