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Guess vs Solve - What's the difference?

guess | solve |

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between guess and solve

is that guess is (obsolete) to hit upon or reproduce by memory while solve is (obsolete) a solution; an explanation.

As verbs the difference between guess and solve

is that guess is to reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion while solve is to find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.

As nouns the difference between guess and solve

is that guess is a prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support while solve is (obsolete) a solution; an explanation.

guess

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) . More at (l).

Verb

  • To reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion.
  • To solve by a correct conjecture; to conjecture rightly.
    • He who guesses the riddle shall have the ring.
  • (chiefly, US) to suppose (introducing a proposition of uncertain plausibility).
    • That album is quite hard to find, but I guess you could try ordering it online.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Not all together; better far, I guess , / That we do make our entrance several ways.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • But in known images of life I guess / The labour greater.
  • *
  • (obsolete) To hit upon or reproduce by memory.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Tell me their words, as near as thou canst guess them.
    Synonyms
    * hypothesize * take a stab * speculate
    Derived terms
    * foreguess * guess what * guessable * guesser * guessing game * guesstimate * guesswork * keep someone guessing * no prize for guessing * out-guess * second-guess * you'll never guess

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) gesse. Cognate with (etyl) .

    Noun

    (es)
  • A prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.
    • If you don't know the answer, take a guess .
  • *
    • Synonyms
    * estimate * hypothesis * prediction
    Derived terms
    * another-guess * anyone's guess * by guess or by gosh * educated guess * guesswork * guesstimate * otherguess * take a guess * your guess is as good as mine

    External links

    * *

    solve

    English

    Verb

    (solv)
  • To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.
  • * South
    • True piety would effectually solve such scruples.
  • * Tickell
    • God shall solve the dark decrees of fate.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
    • , page=13 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) , title= Ideas coming down the track , passage=A “moving platform” scheme
  • (mathematics) To find the values of variables that satisfy a system of equations and/or inequalities.
  • (mathematics) To algebraically manipulate an equation or inequality into a form that isolates a chosen variable on one side, so that the other side consists of an expression that may be used to generate solutions.

    • Derived terms

    * resolve * solution

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A solution; an explanation.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Anagrams

    * ----