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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GUESS, n., v. Sc. usages:

I. n. 1. A riddle, a conundrum (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai., Edb., wm.Sc., Kcb., Rxb. 1955). Usu. in pl.Lth. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 113:
At other times they played at games — of the dambrod, or at the tod and the lambs: or they . . . propounded guesses to them.Ayr. 1836 Galt in Tait's Mag. (July) 460:
I minded the auld guess, that what the rich put in their pouches, the beggars throw awa [a handkerchief].

Phr.: to gie (set) guesses, to ask riddles (Sh., m.Lth. 1955).Cai. 1900 E.D.D.:
To gie, or set guesses, used to be a favourite fireside amusement at farm-houses.

2. Knowledge, inkling; in phr. a rough guess = a rough idea, an outline. See Rouch.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 192:
I gied your frien' here a rough guess o't.Sc. 1900 G. H. Kingsley Sport and Travel 250:
The Guns were wud for his heart's bluid, but they could get no guess of him.

3. Phr.: by guess o' ee, judging by appearance only (Sh. 1955).Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 107:
[He] mith ken aboot a nowte beast weel aneuch b' guess o' ee. . . . This special power of measuring and estimating cattle by “guess o' ee” that constituted Sandy Mutch's distinguishing faculty in a business point of view.

II. v. Vbl.n. guessin(g): 1. comb. guessin'-speers, the game of charades (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); 2. phr. guessing time of the gloaming, the late twilight, when objects are only dimly recognised.2. Ayr. 1836 Galt in Tait's Mag. (Jan.) 33:
She had been advised . . . to invite me up at the guessing time of the gloaming.