I suppose we should run off a couple of dozen copies. Everyone in the office should read it. It's relevant to all their jobs.

Is it okay to say assume or guess instead of suppose in the above sentence as follows:
I guess we should run off a couple of dozen copies. Everyone in the office should read it. It's relevant to all their jobs.
I assume we should run off a couple of dozen copies. Everyone in the office should read it. It's relevant to all their jobs.

Thanks a lot in advance.

You can substitute suppose with guess, Jey, but not assume, which isn't synonymous in this context.

Could you explain more, Richard?

I'm not quite sure what there is to explain, my friend. To assume basically means "to think you know something" (but you may not really know it at all). This idea just doesn't go with the context of the sentence.

Using guess or suppose means "this is what I think would be a good idea." That goes with the idea of the sentence.

Well, you know, what I had in mind was the other meaning of "assume:" to take as true. So using "assume" in the above context could maybe mean:

I take it as true that we should run off a couple of dozen copies. Everyone in the office should read it. It's relevant to all their jobs.

If you don't mind my saying so, I think you're grasping for straws with that interpretation. I don't think it works.

I think the only context that 'assume' would work in this sentence would be that the assumption is because you think that's what the boss wants.

'I assume' we should do this, because this is the kind of thing the boss always wants.

'I guess' and 'I suppose' can be because of the boss OR because of the speaker. Both 'I guess' and 'I suppose' weaken the intended action quite a bit. If you really want to run off those copies, you should just say:

We should run off a couple of dozen copies. Everyone in the office should read it. It's relevant to all their jobs.

OR

I think we should run off....

quote:

I think you're grasping for straws with that interpretation

Another idiom used by Richard! Thanks. And one point about this idiom: Webster has it with the preposition at, not for. Are they both correct?

As for the main discussion of ours, I should say I don't know why you don't like that interpretation because I found sth similar in Webster too:

5: to take as granted or true : SUPPOSE I assume he'll be there
Thank you, Richard and Rachel.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mehrdadthebigboss,

I should have written at, not for, my friend. I shouldn't rush as I type.

As for the use of assume, I'd rather not keep ping-ponging this point. I just know that there's a commonality of meaning and tone between guess and suppose that assume doesn't share, and I really don't feel in my gut that it can be used synonymously with the other two verbs. Oh, well . . .

In addition to what Richard has said, I would like to add this form Oxford Learner's Thesaurus

suppose / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( not used in the progressive tenses )
to think or believe that sth is true or possible, based on the information you have Getting a visa isn't as easy as you might suppose . ◇ Prices will go up, I suppose . ◇ I suppose you think that's funny! ◇ Why do you suppose he resigned? ◇ I don't suppose for a minute that he'll agree ( = I'm sure that he won't ) .
I suppose all the tickets have been sold now, have they? ◇ What do you suppose happened to her? ◇ There is no reason to suppose she's lying. ◇ It's reasonable to suppose that he left the note after he tried to call her. ◇ ( formal ) This combination of qualities is generally supposed to be extremely rare. ◇ She had supposed him (to be) extremely rich. ◇ I had supposed his wife a much younger woman.
Suppose is also used to make a statement, request or suggestion less direct or less strong: I could take you in the car, I suppose ( = but I don't really want to ) . ◇ ‘Can I borrow the car?’ ‘I suppose so ( = Yes, but I'm not very happy about it ) .’
What I'm saying, I suppose , is that she's not really suitable for the job. ◇ I don't suppose I could have a look at your newspaper, could I? ◇ Suppose we take a later train?

assume{/B] / BrE ; AmE / [ T ]
to think or accept that sth is true but without having any proof Let's assume for a moment that the plan succeeds. ◇ I think we can safely assume that this situation will continue. ◇ It's generally assumed that stress is caused by too much work. ◇ Don't always assume the worst ( = think that the worst thing will happen ) .
It's reasonable to assume that the economy will continue to improve. ◇ I hope to go to college next year, always assuming that I pass my exams. ◇ She would, she assumed, be home at the usual time. ◇ He automatically assumed that I had children. ◇ We have assumed an average profit of £5 000 a month. ◇ ( formal ) I had assumed him to be French.

[B]guess / BrE ; AmE / [ T ] ( usually used in the form I guess ) ( especially AmE , spoken )
to suppose that sth is true or likely I guess I'm just lucky. ◇ He didn't see me, I guess.
I guess (that) you'll be looking for a new job now. ◇ I guess you're mad at me.
I guess so is used to agree to a statement, invitation or request, but in a way that shows you are hesitating about it: ‘Can I have another cookie ‘I guess so, but that's the last one.’
‘Do you really love her?’ ‘I guess so ( = I think so, but I am not completely sure ) ’ ◇ ‘Are you coming with us?’ ‘I guess so ( = I'll come, but without any real enthusiasm ) ’

Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus © Oxford University Press, 2008.

I hope this helps!