different between distinguish vs surmise

English

Etymology

From Middle English distingwen, from Old French distinguer, from Latin distinguere (“to separate, divide, distinguish, set off, adorn, literally mark off”), from di-, dis- (“apart”) + stinguere. Compare extinguish.

Pronunciation

• enPR: d?s-t?ng?gw?sh, IPA^(key): /d?s?t???w??/
• Rhymes: -???w??
• Hyphenation: dis?tin?guish

Verb

distinguish (third-person singular simple present distinguishes, present participle distinguishing, simple past and past participle distinguished)

1. To recognize someone or something as different from others based on its characteristics.

   Synonyms: differentiate, discriminate; see also Thesaurus:tell apart

   Antonym: confuse
2. To see someone or something clearly or distinctly.
3. To make oneself noticeably different or better from others through accomplishments.
   • 1784: William Jones, The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c., PREFACE

     THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Per?ons of the fir?t di?tinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ?everal new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and di?tingui?h it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To make to differ.

Usage notes

In sense “see a difference”, more casual than differentiate or the formal discriminate; more casual is “tell the difference”.

Derived terms

• distinguished
• distinguishable
• distinguishing
• distinguishness
• undistinguishing

Related terms

• distinct
• distinction
• extinguish

Translations

Further reading

• distinguish in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• distinguish in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Old French surmis, past participle of surmetre, surmettre (“to accuse”), from sur- (“upon”) + metre (“to put”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s???ma?z/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /s??ma?z/
• Hyphenation: sur?mise

Noun

surmise (countable and uncountable, plural surmises)

1. Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
2. Reflection; thought; posit.

Translations

Verb

surmise (third-person singular simple present surmises, present participle surmising, simple past and past participle surmised)

1. To imagine or suspect; to conjecture; to posit with contestable premises.

Translations

Further reading

• surmise in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• surmise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• misuser

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sy?.miz/
• Homophones: surmisent, surmises

Verb

surmise

1. first-person singular present indicative of surmiser
2. third-person singular present indicative of surmiser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of surmiser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of surmiser
5. second-person singular imperative of surmiser

Anagrams

• mûrisse