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Prognosticate vs Guess - What's the difference?

prognosticate | guess | Related terms |

Prognosticate is a related term of guess.


As verbs the difference between prognosticate and guess

is that prognosticate is to predict or forecast, especially through the application of skill while guess is to reach a partly (or totally) unqualified conclusion.

As a noun guess is

a prediction about the outcome of something, typically made without factual evidence or support.

prognosticate

English

Verb

(prognosticat)
  • To predict or forecast, especially through the application of skill.
  • Examining the tea-leaves, she prognosticated dark days ahead.
  • To presage, betoken.
  • The bluebells may prognosticate an early spring this year.

    Quotations

    {{timeline, 1500s=1598, 1800s=1847, 1900s=1915}} * 1598 — *: But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
    And constant stars in them I read such art
    As 'Truth and beauty shall together thrive,
    If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert';
    Or else of thee this I prognosticate :
    'Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.' * *: ...to-morrow I intend lengthening the night till afternoon. I prognosticate for myself an obstinate cold, at least. * 1915 — , Voyage Out ch. 2 *: All old people and many sick people were drawn, were it only for a foot or two, into the open air, and prognosticated pleasant things about the course of the world.

    Synonyms

    * presage, prophesy, foretell

    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