All 27 Uses of
conjecture
in
Gulliver's Travels
- The declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the shore, which I conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening.†
Chpt 1
- In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first.†
Chpt 1
- …a general shout, with frequent repetitions of the words Peplom selan; and I felt great numbers of people on my left side relaxing the cords to such a degree, that I was able to turn upon my right, and to ease myself with making water; which I very plentifully did, to the great astonishment of the people; who, conjecturing by my motion what I was going to do, immediately opened to the right and left on that side, to avoid the torrent, which fell with such noise and violence from me.†
Chpt 1
- There were several of his priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their habits), who were commanded to address themselves to me; and I spoke to them in as many languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca, but all to no purpose.†
Chpt 1
- In the left there was a sort of engine, from the back of which were extended twenty long poles, resembling the pallisados before your majesty's court: wherewith we conjecture the manmountain combs his head; for we did not always trouble him with questions, because we found it a great difficulty to make him understand us.†
Chpt 1
- He put this engine into our ears, which made an incessant noise, like that of a watermill: and we conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god that he worships; but we are more inclined to the latter opinion, because he assured us, (if we understood him right, for he expressed himself very imperfectly) that he seldom did any thing without consulting it.†
Chpt 1
- It seems, upon my first reaching the shore after our shipwreck, I was in such confusion, that before I came to the place where I went to sleep, my hat, which I had fastened with a string to my head while I was rowing, and had stuck on all the time I was swimming, fell off after I came to land; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by some accident, which I never observed, but thought my hat had been lost at sea.†
Chpt 1
- For as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms and states in the world inhabited by human creatures as large as yourself, our philosophers are in much doubt, and would rather conjecture that you dropped from the moon, or one of the stars; because it is certain, that a hundred mortals of your bulk would in a short time destroy all the fruits and cattle of his majesty's dominions: besides, our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions…†
Chpt 1
- I slept well, and as I conjectured at least six hours, for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked.†
Chpt 1
- He desired "I would give him as exact an account of the government of England as I possibly could; because, as fond as princes commonly are of their own customs (for so he conjectured of other monarchs, by my former discourses), he should be glad to hear of any thing that might deserve imitation."†
Chpt 2
- ] I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to form any project with the least hope of succeeding.†
Chpt 2
- I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, while I slept, the page, thinking no danger could happen, went among the rocks to look for birds' eggs, having before observed him from my window searching about, and picking up one or two in the clefts.†
Chpt 2
- I then fastened my handkerchief to a stick I usually carried, and thrusting it up the hole, waved it several times in the air, that if any boat or ship were near, the seamen might conjecture some unhappy mortal to be shut up in the box.†
Chpt 2
- I happened rightly to conjecture, that these were sent for orders to some person in authority upon this occasion.†
Chpt 3
- The king, as far as I could conjecture, asked me several questions, and I addressed myself to him in all the languages I had.†
Chpt 3
- I ventured to offer to the learned among them a conjecture of my own, that Laputa was quasi lap outed; lap, signifying properly, the dancing of the sunbeams in the sea, and outed, a wing; which, however, I shall not obtrude, but submit to the judicious reader.†
Chpt 3
- We passed through one of the town gates, and went about three miles into the country, where I saw many labourers working with several sorts of tools in the ground, but was not able to conjecture what they were about: neither did observe any expectation either of corn or grass, although the soil appeared to be excellent.†
Chpt 3
- This great philosopher freely acknowledged his own mistakes in natural philosophy, because he proceeded in many things upon conjecture, as all men must do; and he found that Gassendi, who had made the doctrine of Epicurus as palatable as he could, and the vortices of Descartes, were equally to be exploded.†
Chpt 3
- He soon conjectured, by my countenance, that I was a European, and therefore repeated his majesty's commands in Low Dutch, which he spoke perfectly well.†
Chpt 3
- I could frequently distinguish the word Yahoo, which was repeated by each of them several times: and although it was impossible for me to conjecture what it meant, yet while the two horses were busy in conversation, I endeavoured to practise this word upon my tongue; and as soon as they were silent, I boldly pronounced Yahoo in a loud voice, imitating at the same time, as near as I could, the neighing of a horse; at which they were both visibly surprised; and the gray repeated the same…†
Chpt 4
- After some further discourse, which I then conjectured might relate to me, the two friends took their leaves, with the same compliment of striking each other's hoof; and the gray made me signs that I should walk before him; wherein I thought it prudent to comply, till I could find a better director.†
Chpt 4
- He said, "he had been very seriously considering my whole story, as far as it related both to myself and my country; that he looked upon us as a sort of animals, to whose share, by what accident he could not conjecture, some small pittance of reason had fallen, whereof we made no other use, than by its assistance, to aggravate our natural corruptions, and to acquire new ones, which nature had not given us; that we disarmed ourselves of the few abilities she had bestowed; had been very…†
Chpt 4
- It happened that a young female Yahoo, standing behind a bank, saw the whole proceeding, and inflamed by desire, as the nag and I conjectured, came running with all speed, and leaped into the water, within five yards of the place where I bathed.†
Chpt 4
- In the like manner, when I used to explain to him our several systems of natural philosophy, he would laugh, "that a creature pretending to reason, should value itself upon the knowledge of other people's conjectures, and in things where that knowledge, if it were certain, could be of no use."†
Chpt 4
- And although this were little better than conjecture, yet I resolved to steer my course eastward, hoping to reach the south-west coast of New Holland,
Chpt 4 *conjecture = opinion based on inconclusive evidence
- The seamen at their landing observed my canoe, and rummaging it all over, easily conjectured that the owner could not be far off.†
Chpt 4
- They were very curious to know my story, but I gave them very little satisfaction, and they all conjectured that my misfortunes had impaired my reason.†
Chpt 4
Definition:
-
(conjecture) a conclusion or opinion based on inconclusive evidence; or the act of forming of such a conclusion or opinioneditor's notes: A conjecture can be widely believed, but the word is also frequently used to imply that evidence is insufficient to support a belief.