speculate — spec‧u‧late [ˈspekjleɪt] verb 1. [intransitive] FINANCE to buy goods, shares, property etc in the hope that their value will increase so that you can sell them at a higher price and make a profit, often quickly: speculate in • Investors may… … Financial and business terms
Speculate — Spec u*late, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Speculated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Speculating}.] [L. speculatus, p. p. of speculari to spy out, observe, fr. specula a lookout, fr. specere to look. See {Spy}.] 1. To consider by turning a subject in the mind, and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
speculate — spec·u·late / spe kyə ˌlāt/ vb lat·ed, lat·ing vi 1: to theorize on the basis of insufficient evidence ◇ A jury is not permitted to speculate on a matter about which insufficient evidence has been presented in reaching its verdict. 2: to assume a … Law dictionary
Speculate — Spec u*late, v. t. To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing. [R.] Sir W. Hamilton. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
speculate — [v1] think about deeply and theorize beat one’s brains*, brainstorm*, build castles in air*, call it, call the turn, cerebrate, chew over*, cogitate, conjecture, consider, contemplate, deliberate, dope*, dope out*, excogitate, figure, figure out* … New thesaurus
speculate — (v.) 1590s, back formation from SPECULATION (Cf. speculation). Related: Speculated; speculating … Etymology dictionary
speculate — reason, reflect, *think, cogitate, deliberate Analogous words: *ponder, meditate, muse, ruminate: *consider, weigh, study, contemplate, excogitate … New Dictionary of Synonyms
speculate — [spek′yə lāt΄] vi. speculated, speculating [< L speculatus, pp. of speculari, to view < specula, watchtower < specere, to see: see SPY] 1. to think about the various aspects of a given subject; meditate; ponder; esp., to conjecture 2. to … English World dictionary
speculate — v. 1) (D; intr.) ( to meditate, think ) to speculate about, on (to speculate about what might have been) 2) (D; intr.) ( to conduct business by taking risks ) to speculate in; on (to speculate in oil shares; to speculate in gold; to speculate on… … Combinatory dictionary
speculate — verb ADVERB ▪ openly, publicly ▪ Commentators are openly speculating on whether the accusation is false. ▪ widely ▪ wildly ▪ The British press speculated … Collocations dictionary