Second guess

Posted by ESC on December 09, 2003

In Reply to: Second guess posted by Barney on December 09, 2003

: : Where does this come from??? Why "second" guess, when you guess BEFORE the speaker says the answer???

: When you guess both the question and the answer.

From Merriam-Webster online:

Main Entry: sec·ond-guess
Pronunciation: "se-k&[ng]-'ges, -k&n(d)-
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1941
1 : to criticize or question actions or decisions of (someone) often after the results of those actions or decisions are known meet almost every morning and, over coffee, second-guess the local coach -- Bruce Newman; also : to engage in such criticism of (an action or decision) general's strategy.

2 : to seek to anticipate or predict. Lived royally by his ability to second-guess the stock market -- Time.
- sec·ond-guess·er noun