speculate
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spec·u·late
(spĕk′yə-lāt′)v. spec·u·lat·ed, spec·u·lat·ing, spec·u·lates
v.intr.
1. To engage in a course of reasoning often based on inconclusive evidence; conjecture or theorize.
2. To engage in the buying or selling of a commodity with an element of risk on the chance of profit.
v.tr.
To assume to be true without conclusive evidence: speculated that high cholesterol was a contributing factor to the patient's health problems.
[Latin speculārī, speculāt-, to observe, from specula, watchtower, from specere, to look at; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
speculate
(ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪt)vb
1. (when tr, takes a clause as object) to conjecture without knowing the complete facts
2. (Stock Exchange) (intr) to buy or sell securities, property, etc, in the hope of deriving capital gains
3. (intr) to risk loss for the possibility of considerable gain
4. (Rugby) (intr) rugby NZ to make an emergency forward kick of the ball without taking any particular aim
[C16: from Latin speculārī to spy out, from specula a watchtower, from specere to look at]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
spec•u•late
(ˈspɛk yəˌleɪt)v. -lat•ed, -lat•ing. v.i.
1. to engage in thought or reflection; meditate (often fol. by on or upon).
2. to indulge in conjectural thought.
3. to buy or sell commodities, property, stocks, etc., esp. at risk of a loss, in the expectation of making a profit through market fluctuations.
v.t. 4. to consider or think curiously about; suppose, propose, or wonder: to speculate that an agreement will be reached; to speculate whether a quarrel was serious.
[1590–1600; < Latin speculātus, past participle of speculārī to watch over, explore, derivative of specula watch tower, n. derivative of specere to look, regard; see -ate1]
spec′u•la`tor, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
speculate
Past participle: speculated
Gerund: speculating
| Imperative |
|---|
| speculate |
| speculate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Verb | 1. | speculate - to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds; "Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps" anticipate, expect - regard something as probable or likely; "The meteorologists are expecting rain for tomorrow" |
| 2. | speculate - talk over conjecturally, or review in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion; "We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal" reason - think logically; "The children must learn to reason" | |
| 3. | speculate - reflect deeply on a subject; "I mulled over the events of the afternoon"; "philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years"; "The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate" meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, chew over, think over, excogitate, reflect, ruminate, contemplate cerebrate, cogitate, think - use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments; "I've been thinking all day and getting nowhere" premeditate - think or reflect beforehand or in advance; "I rarely premeditate, which is a mistake" theologise, theologize - make theoretical speculations about theology or discuss theological subjects introspect - reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings bethink - consider or ponder something carefully; "She bethought her of their predicament" cogitate - consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind wonder, question - place in doubt or express doubtful speculation; "I wonder whether this was the right thing to do"; "she wondered whether it would snow tonight" puzzle - be uncertain about; think about without fully understanding or being able to decide; "We puzzled over her sudden departure" | |
| 4. | speculate - invest at a risk; "I bought this house not because I want to live in it but to sell it later at a good price, so I am speculating" bull - try to raise the price of stocks through speculative buying |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
speculate
verb
1. conjecture, consider, wonder, guess, suppose, contemplate, deliberate, muse, meditate, surmise, theorize, hypothesize, cogitate The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
2. gamble, risk, venture, hazard, have a flutter (informal), take a chance with, play the market They speculated in property whose value has now dropped.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
speculate
verb1. To use the powers of the mind, as in conceiving ideas, drawing inferences, and making judgments:
Idioms: put on one's thinking cap, use one's head.
2. To draw an inference on the basis of inconclusive evidence or insufficient information:
3. To formulate or assert as a tentative explanation:
4. To take a risk in the hope of gaining advantage:
Idiom: take a flyer.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَتَأَمَّلُيَتَحَزَّر، يَتَكَهَّن، يَتأمَّل
spekulovatdohadovat se
spekulere
spekuloida
špekulirati
spekulál
geta sér til um
推測する
심사숙고하다
spėlionėspėlioti
izteikt minējumus/pieņēmumus
spekulera
คาดเดา
suy xét
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
speculate
[ˈspɛkjʊleɪt] viCollins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
speculate
vi
(= meditate, ponder) → (nach)grübeln, nachdenken (→ on über +acc); (= conjecture) → Vermutungen anstellen, spekulieren (→ about, on über +acc); I speculate that … → ich vermute, dass …
(Fin) → spekulieren (→ in mit, on an +dat)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
speculate
[ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪt]1. vi (Fin) → speculare; (wonder) to speculate (about or on sth/whether) → chiedersi (qc/se)
I can only speculate → posso solo fare congetture
I can only speculate → posso solo fare congetture
2. vt to speculate that ... → ipotizzare che...
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
speculate
(ˈspekjuleit) verb to make guesses. He's only speculating – he doesn't know; There's no point in speculating about what's going to happen.
ˌspecuˈlation noun1. a guess. Your speculations were all quite close to the truth.
2. the act of speculating. There was great speculation as to what was happening.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
speculate
→ يَتَأَمَّلُ spekulovat spekulere spekulieren εικάζω especular spekuloida spéculer špekulirati speculare 推測する 심사숙고하다 speculeren spekulere spekulować especular предполагать spekulera คาดเดา varsayımda bulunmak suy xét 揣测Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
speculate
v. argumentar, especular.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012