Category:Conjecture

Con*jec"ture, n. Etym: [L. conjectura, fr. conjicere, conjectum, to throw together, infer, conjecture; con- + jacere to throw: cf. F. conjecturer. See Jet a shooting forth.]

Defn: An opinion, or judgment, formed on defective or presumptive evidence; probable inference; surmise; guess; suspicion. He [Herodotus] would thus have corrected his first loose conjecture by a real study of nature. Whewell. Conjectures, fancies, built on nothing firm. Milton.

conjecture Con*jec"ture, v. t. [imp. & p.p. Conjectured; p.pr. & vb.n. Conjecturing.] Etym: [Cf. F. conjecturer. Cf. Conject.]

Defn: To arrive at by conjecture; to infer on slight evidence; to surmise; to guess; to form, at random, opinions concerning. Human reason can then, at the best, but conjecture what will be. South.

conjecture Con*jec"ture, v. i.

Defn: To make conjectures; to surmise; to guess; to infer; to form an opinion; to imagine.