second-guess

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To vet or evaluate

   To vet or evaluate; to criticize or correct, often by hindsight, by presuming to have a better idea, method, etc.

   • Please don't try to second-guess the procedure that we have already refined and adopted.
   • Once she began listening to her instincts and didn't second-guess herself the entire time, her artwork improved noticeably.
   • Public administration would be hamstrung if courts were free to second-guess reasonable administrative decisions.
2. 2

   To anticipate or predict someone's actions or thoughts by guesswork.

   • In this day and age, it's so easy to stress / 'Cause people are strange and you can never second-guess
   • The Securities and Exchange Commission says Goldman misled two clients by failing to give adequate disclosure.[…] It is impossible to second-guess the case's outcome. But Goldman is already viewed by many as guilty.
   • But it is not Network Rail's job to second guess whether the sponsoring authority really does need the scheme, and whether it has looked at other options.

The neighborhood

• neighborsecond guesser
• neighborsecond thoughts
• neighborquestion mark