es|ti|mate

es|ti|mate «noun. EHS tuh miht, -mayt; verb. EHS tuh mayt», noun, verb, -mat|ed, -mat|ing.

–n.

1. a judgment or opinion about how much, how many, how good, etc.: »

My estimate of the length of the room was 15 feet; it actually measured 14 feet, 9 inches.

2. a statement of what certain work will cost, made by one willing to do the work: »

The painter's estimate for painting the house was $1,500.

–v.t.

1. to form a judgment or opinion about (how much, how many, how good, or the like): »

The gardener estimated that it would take him four hours to weed the garden.

2. to fix the worth, size, amount, quality, or condition of, especially in a rough way; calculate approximately: »

to estimate one's losses, estimate the cost of a trip. He estimated his time as worth twice what he received.

SYNONYM(S): reckon, gauge.

3. Obsolete. to assign a value to; appraise; value.

–v.i.

to draw up or submit a statement of the cost of doing a specified piece of work or the price at which a contractor is prepared to undertake it.

╂[< Latin aestimāre (with English -ate¹) to value]

Synonym Study transitive verb.1, 2 Estimate, appraise, evaluate mean to judge the measure, weight, or value of someone or something. Estimate means to make a judgment regarding amount, number, value, or the like, under such circumstances that the result is not likely to be exactly right: »

They estimated the tree to be thirty feet high.

Appraise means to make an expert judgment about some thing or things, and implies that the result given is correct or cannot be questioned: »

The stolen necklace had been appraised at $15,000.

Evaluate suggests a judgment in terms of something besides money: »

She evaluates people by their clothes.