ὑπονο-έω G5282
to suspect, suppose, conjecture; to form an opinion based on partial evidence or assumption
This verb means to suspect, surmise, or suppose something—to form a tentative opinion without full certainty. It can carry negative overtones (suspicion, watching captiously) or neutral ones (reasonable conjecture). The root involves thinking under the surface (hupo-noeō), examining possibilities beneath what's stated. All three New Testament uses appear in Acts, describing people's uncertain interpretations of situations—guessing at meaning when full information isn't available. The term captures the tentative, provisional nature of human judgment when working from incomplete data.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Acts 13:25 records John the Baptist's question, "Who do you suppose (huponoeite) I am?"—challenging the crowds' assumptions about his identity. Acts 25:18 has Festus explaining that the Jewish accusers didn't charge Paul with crimes "such as I was supposing" (hupenooun)—his expectations were wrong. Acts 27:27 describes the sailors "supposing" (hupenooun) they were drawing near to land as they drifted in the storm—an uncertain conjecture proved correct. The Spanish suponéis/suponía/sospechaban, French penser, and German forms convey the supposing/suspecting range. The term highlights human limitation—we constantly operate on assumptions and guesses, sometimes right (the sailors) and sometimes wrong (Festus), requiring humility about our certainty. 3×
AR["تَظُنّونَ", "ظَنَّ", "كُنْتُ-أَظُنُّ"]·ben["মনে-করিতেছিল", "মনে-করিতেছিলাম", "মনে-করো"]·DE["ὑπενόουν", "ὑπονοεῖτε"]·EN["do-you-suppose", "was-supposing", "were-supposing"]·FR["penser"]·heb["חָשְׁדוּ", "חָשַׁבְתִּי", "חוֹשְׁבִים-אַתֶּם"]·HI["समझताथा", "समझते-हो", "समझतेथे"]·ID["kamu-mengira", "menduga"]·IT["supporre"]·jav["ngira", "panjenengan-kinten"]·KO["생각하느냐", "짐작하였다", "짐작하였던"]·PT["supondes", "supunha", "suspeitavam"]·RU["подозревали", "полагаете", "предполагал"]·ES["sospechaban", "suponéis", "suponía"]·SW["mnadhani", "nilidhani", "walidhani"]·TR["sanıyordum", "sanıyorlardı", "sanıyorsunuz"]·urd["اندازہ-کرتے-تھے", "خیال-کرتا-تھا", "سمجھتے-ہو"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὑπονο-έω, suspect, τι Refs 5th c.BC+ O.: with accusative person et infinitive, ὑπονοήσαντες τοὺς Σαμίους τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων φρονέειν Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑ. εἶναί τι θεῖον (variant{θεόν}) Refs 5th c.BC+; τῶν λεγόντων ὑπενοεῖτε.., ὡς λέγουσι you felt suspicious of the speakers, thinking that.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑ. τὰ λεγόμενα watch my words captiously, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II surmise, conjecture, guess at, Refs…