gauge approximately

[/ɡeɪdʒ əˈprɒksɪmətli/]
verb phrase
avaliar aproximadamente
1. to estimate or judge something without precise measurement; to make an approximate assessment
I tried to gauge approximately how many people were at the concert.
Tentei avaliar aproximadamente quantas pessoas estavam no concerto.
2. to measure or assess something in a rough or casual manner
The contractor had to gauge approximately the dimensions of the room.
O contratante teve que avaliar aproximadamente as dimensões da sala.
3. to form a rough idea about quantity, quality, or extent
Can you gauge approximately the cost of the renovation?
Você consegue avaliar aproximadamente o custo da reforma?
This phrase is commonly used in both American and Brazilian contexts in professional, academic, and casual settings. In Brazil, 'avaliar aproximadamente' is standard, while 'dar um palpite' (to take a guess) is more colloquial. Americans often use the shorthand 'ballpark it' in business environments, which is less common in Portuguese but understood through business Portuguese.
NYC Slang
ballpark it / take a rough stab at it
Synonyms / Sinônimos
estimateapproximateassess roughlyjudgeevaluatecalculate roughly
Antonyms / Antônimos
measure preciselycalculate exactlydetermine accurately

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
avaliar aproximadamente
most common and standard usage
Rio de Janeiro
dar um palpite aproximado
colloquial alternative meaning to give an approximate guess
São Paulo
fazer uma estimativa aproximada
more formal business usage
Portugal
avaliar aproximadamente / estimar grosseiramente
similar to Brazilian Portuguese but 'grosseiramente' is more commonly used in Portugal

Related Words

gaugeestimatemeasureapproximateassessevaluatejudge

Related Idioms & Phrases

take a stab at estimating
put a number on it
make an educated guess
rough it out
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