hunch
UK[hʌntʃ]US[hʌntʃ]
n
a feeling or guess based on intuition rather than known facts.
v
to bend the top part of your body forward and raise your shoulders.
Etymology
the word "hunch" is of uncertain origin, first appearing in english around the late 16th century. it is likely a variant of the now-obsolete word "hump," influenced by the sense of pushing or thrusting. the core meaning of a physical bend or hump evolved metaphorically in the early 20th century to signify an intuitive feeling, perhaps from the idea of a mental "push" or a gut feeling one senses internally. this journey from a concrete bodily posture to an abstract internal impression is a common path of semantic evolution in language.
Analysis
n/a
Examples
i had a hunch that he would be late.
she hunched her shoulders against the cold wind.
his investment decision was based more on a hunch than on solid data.