| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| estimate |
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| SYLLABICATION: | es·ti·mate |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   s t -m t |
| TRANSITIVE VERB: | Inflected forms: es·ti·mat·ed, es·ti·mat·ing, es·ti·mates
1. To calculate approximately (the amount, extent, magnitude, position, or value of something). 2. To form an opinion about; evaluate: “While an author is yet living we estimate his powers by his worst performance” (Samuel Johnson). | | NOUN: | (-m t)1. The act of evaluating or appraising. 2. A tentative evaluation or rough calculation, as of worth, quantity, or size. 3. A statement of the approximate cost of work to be done, such as a building project or car repairs. 4. A judgment based on one's impressions; an opinion. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Latin aestimre, aestimt-. | | OTHER FORMS: | esti·mative —ADJECTIVE
esti·mator —NOUN
| | SYNONYMS: | estimate, appraise, assess, assay, evaluate, rate1 These verbs mean to form a judgment of worth or significance. Estimate usually implies a subjective and somewhat inexact judgment: difficult to estimate the possible results in advance. Appraise stresses expert judgment: appraised the works of art. Assess implies authoritative judgment in setting a monetary value on something as a basis for taxation: assessing real estate for investors. Assay refers to careful examination, especially to chemical analysis of an ore: will assay the ingot. In extended senses appraise, assess, and assay can refer to any critical analysis: appraised his character; will assess the impact of higher taxes; assaying the idea's merit. Evaluate implies considered judgment in ascertaining value: evaluating a student's thesis for content and organization. Rate involves determining the rank or grade of someone or something in relation to others: rated the restaurant higher than any other in the city.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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