Word "surmise"

[Bassim]

Please, would you tell me if I could use word "surmise" in the following sentences:
1. Entering the room and looking at the people sitting inside, the man surmised that there would be trouble.
2. Watching his wife walking with another man, he had his surmise confirmed.
3. From the President's speech it could be surmised that the he would soon step down.

 

[emsr2d2]

#2 doesn't work. It's not a noun, only a verb.

 

[Allen165]

The entry on freedictionary.com (surmise - definition of surmise by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.) suggests it can be used as a noun.

 

[5jj]

#2 doesn't work. It's not a noun, only a verb.

I disagree, and so does this.

 

[Bassim]

emsr
Here is an example from a dictionary: Charles was glad to have his surmise confirmed.
I am wondering why couldn't I use the same phrase in my sentence above.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm staggered! I have nothing else to say. I have never encountered it as a noun so I didn't even check a dictionary. It's clearly acceptable. I'll get some sleep!

 

[Bassim]

emsr
No problem. You have helped so many people on this forum, so if you have missed one word it cannot diminish all your work you have done here.

 

[Barb_D]

I"m with ems. (I'd like more sleep too, but that's beside the point.) If I heard it being used as a noun, I would have thought it was a mistake. I'd think that with a native speaker, and I'd think that with a non-native speaker.

 

[BobK]

#2 doesn't work. It's not a noun, only a verb.

:up: (Except when Keats used it here. ;-)

b