different between observe vs estimate

English

Etymology

From Middle French observer, from Old French [Term?], from Latin observare (“to watch, note, mark, heed, guard, keep, pay attention to, regard, comply with, etc.”), from ob (“before”) + servare (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *serw- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic ???????????????????? (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device, design, contrivance, art, cunning, craft, artifice, wile, deceit, stratagem, ambush, treachery, plot, trick, snare, ambuscade, cleverness, machine, engine, fabric, armor, equipment, arms”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?b?z??v/, (rare) /?b?z??v/
• (General American, Canada) enPR: ?b-zûrv?, IPA^(key): /?b?z?v/
• Rhymes: -??(?)v
• Hyphenation: ob?serve

Verb

observe (third-person singular simple present observes, present participle observing, simple past and past participle observed)

1. (transitive) To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
   • 1892, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb

     “One horse?” interjected Holmes. ¶ “Yes, only one.” ¶ “Did you observe the colour?”
2. (transitive) To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).
3. (transitive) To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence); to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).

   • Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread.

   • 2020 (March 7), Jackie Dunham, "Daylight time: How to get enough sleep when the clocks spring forward, CTV News:

     On Sunday, most of Canada will observe daylight time and spring forward an hour in order to reflect the increasing sunlight.

4. (intransitive) To comment on something; to make an observation.

   • Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

Synonyms

• (follow a custom): celebrate

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• obverse, verbose

French

Verb

observe

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

Portuguese

Verb

observe

1. first-person singular present subjunctive of observar
2. third-person singular present subjunctive of observar
3. first-person singular imperative of observar
4. third-person singular imperative of observar

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ob?serve]

Verb

observe

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of observa
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of observa

Spanish

Verb

observe

1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of observar.
2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of observar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of observar.
4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of observar.

English

Alternative forms

• æstimate (archaic)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin aestimatus, past participle of aestim?, older form aestumo (“to value, rate, esteem”); from Old Latin *ais-temos (“one who cuts copper”), meaning one in the Roman Republic who mints money. See also the doublet esteem, as well as aim.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??st?m?t/ (noun)
• IPA^(key): /??st??me??t/ (verb)

Noun

estimate (plural estimates)

1. A rough calculation or assessment of the value, size, or cost of something.
2. (construction and business) A document (or verbal notification) specifying how much a job is likely to cost.
3. An upper limitation on some positive quantity.

Synonyms

• estimation
• appraisal

Derived terms

• ballpark estimate

Translations

Verb

estimate (third-person singular simple present estimates, present participle estimating, simple past and past participle estimated)

1. To calculate roughly, often from imperfect data.
2. To judge and form an opinion of the value of, from imperfect data.

Synonyms

• appraise
• assessment

Derived terms

• estimable
• underestimate
• overestimate
• estimation

Translations

Further reading

• estimate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “estimate”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• estimate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• etatisme, meatiest, seat time, tea-times, teatimes, étatisme

Italian

Verb

estimate

1. second-person plural present indicative of estimare
2. second-person plural imperative of estimare
3. feminine plural of estimato