Second guess

[Flyinggeesei234]

Hi fellow pedants!

Can we discuss this please? Of late I’ve heard and seen ‘second guess’ start to be used in a new context.

I believe to second guess means to predict what will happen or anticipate a particular response from someone.

It is no being used e.g. ‘I’m second guessing myself’ to mean ‘I’m doubting myself’.

Have others noticed this? Any theories as
to why this new use?

Interesting. I hadn’t noticed but it seems to be that Americans use it to mean to criticise something that’s actually happened.

@WhatWouldJeevesDo that’s now a third use of the phrase!

I'm in Ireland and it's been used in the context of 'second guessing myself' (doubting self) for as long as I can remember.