The President has gone out of his way to dismiss speculation over the future of theeconomy minister.
I had published my speculations about the future of the universe in the Review ofModern Physics.
Synonyms: gamble, risk, gambling, hazard More Synonyms of speculate
Synonyms: theory, opinion, hypothesis, conjecture More Synonyms of speculate
2. verb
If someone speculates financially, they buy property, stocks, or shares, in the hope of being able to sell them again at a higher price and make a profit.
Big farmers are moving in, in order to speculate with rising land prices. [VERB preposition/adverb]
The banks speculated in property whose value has now dropped. [VERB preposition/adverb]
[Also VERB]
Synonyms: gamble, risk, venture, hazard More Synonyms of speculate
speculate in British English
(ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪt)
verb
1. (when tr, takes a clause as object)
to conjecture without knowing the complete facts
2. (intransitive)
to buy or sell securities, property, etc, in the hope of deriving capital gains
3. (intransitive)
to risk loss for the possibility of considerable gain
4. (intransitive) New Zealand rugby
to make an emergency forward kick of the ball without taking any particular aim
Word origin
C16: from Latin speculārī to spy out, from specula a watchtower, from specere to look at
speculate in American English
(ˈspɛkjəˌleɪt)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈspecuˌlated or ˈspecuˌlating
1.
to think about the various aspects of a given subject; meditate; ponder; esp., to conjecture
2.
to buy or sell stocks, commodities, land, etc., usually in the face of higher than ordinary risk, hoping to take advantage of an expected rise or fall in price; also, to take part in any risky venture on the chance of making huge profits
SIMILAR WORDS: think
Derived forms
speculator (ˈspecuˌlator)
noun
Word origin
< L speculatus, pp. of speculari, to view < specula, watchtower < specere, to see: see spy
Examples of 'speculate' in a sentence
speculate
They're bound to speculate on the identity of the person he was having the relationship with, surely?
David Cavanagh MUSIC FOR BOYS (2003)
The Press was no better equipped than anyone to speculate in this way.
Mark Mills AMAGANSETT (2003)
Mechthild's use of metaphors drawn from courtly life led earlier commentators to speculate that she might have come from noble stock.
Newbery, Linda RIDDLE ME THIS (2003)
In other languages
speculate
British English: speculate /ˈspɛkjʊˌleɪt/ VERB
If you speculate about something, you guess about its nature or identity, or about what might happen.
The reader can speculate what will happen next.
Everyone has been speculating about why she left.
American English: speculate
Arabic: يَتَأَمَّلُ
Brazilian Portuguese: especular
Chinese: 揣测
Croatian: špekulirati
Czech: spekulovat
Danish: spekulere
Dutch: speculeren
European Spanish: especular
Finnish: spekuloida
French: spéculer
German: spekulieren
Greek: εικάζω
Italian: speculare
Japanese: 推測する
Korean: 심사숙고하다
Norwegian: spekulere
Polish: spekulować
European Portuguese: especular
Romanian: a specula
Russian: предполагать
Latin American Spanish: especular
Swedish: spekulera
Thai: คาดเดา
Turkish: varsayımda bulunmak
Ukrainian: припускати
Vietnamese: suy xét
Chinese translation of 'speculate'
speculate
(ˈspɛkjuleɪt)
vi
(Fin) 投机(機) (tóujī)
to speculate (about)猜测(測)(关(關)于(於) ... ) (cāicè (guānyú ... ))
to speculate that ... 推测(測) ... (tuīcè ... )
1 (verb)
Definition
to form opinions about something, esp. its future consequences, based on the information available
The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
Synonyms
conjecture
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
consider
Consider how much you can afford to pay.
wonder
I wonder what he's up to.
We were wondering where you were.
guess
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
suppose
Where do you suppose he's got to?
contemplate
deliberate
The jury deliberated for two hours before returning with the verdict.
muse
Many of the papers mused on the fate of the President.
He lay and mused in the warm sunlight.
meditate
I was meditating, and reached a higher state of consciousness.
surmise
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.
theorize
We can theorize about their minds by watching them behave.
hypothesize
cogitate
He was silent as he cogitated on what she had just said.
2 (verb)
Definition
to buy securities or property in the hope of selling them at a profit
They speculated in property whose value has now dropped.
Synonyms
gamble
Are you prepared to gamble your career on this matter?
risk
She risked her life to help a woman.
venture
hazard
have a flutter (informal)
take a chance with
play the market
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cogitate
Definition
to think deeply about (something)
He was silent as he cogitated on what she had just said.
Synonyms
think,
consider,
reflect,
contemplate,
deliberate,
muse,
ponder,
meditate,
mull over,
ruminate
in the sense of consider
Definition
to think carefully about (a problem or decision)
Consider how much you can afford to pay.
Synonyms
think about,
study,
reflect on,
examine,
weigh,
contemplate,
deliberate,
muse,
ponder,
revolve,
meditate,
work over,
mull over,
eye up,
ruminate,
chew over,
cogitate,
turn over in your mind
in the sense of deliberate
Definition
to consider (something) deeply
The jury deliberated for two hours before returning with the verdict.
Synonyms
consider,
think,
ponder,
discuss,
debate,
reflect,
consult,
weigh,
meditate,
mull over,
ruminate,
cogitate
Synonyms of 'speculate'
speculate
Explore 'speculate' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of guess
Definition
to arrive at a correct estimate of (something) by guessing
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
Synonyms
estimate,
predict,
work out,
speculate,
fathom,
conjecture,
postulate,
surmise,
hazard a guess,
hypothesize
in the sense of hazard
Synonyms
gamble,
chance,
risk,
stake,
dare
in the sense of meditate
Definition
to think about something deeply
I was meditating, and reached a higher state of consciousness.
Synonyms
reflect,
think,
consider,
contemplate,
deliberate,
muse,
ponder,
ruminate,
cogitate,
be in a brown study,
plan,
design,
scheme,
purpose,
intend,
devise,
have in mind
in the sense of muse
Definition
to think deeply and at length about
Many of the papers mused on the fate of the President.He lay and mused in the warm sunlight.
Synonyms
ponder,
consider,
reflect,
contemplate,
think,
weigh up,
deliberate,
speculate,
brood,
meditate,
mull over,
think over,
ruminate,
cogitate,
be lost in thought,
be in a brown study
in the sense of risk
Definition
to expose to danger or loss
She risked her life to help a woman.
Synonyms
dare,
endanger,
jeopardize,
imperil,
venture,
gamble,
hazard,
take a chance on,
put in jeopardy,
expose to danger,
take the plunge,
skate on thin ice
in the sense of suppose
Definition
to consider (something) as a possible suggestion for the sake of discussion
Where do you suppose he's got to?
Synonyms
imagine,
believe,
consider,
conclude,
fancy,
conceive,
conjecture,
postulate (formal),
hypothesize
in the sense of surmise
Definition
to guess (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.
Synonyms
guess,
suppose,
imagine,
presume,
consider,
suspect,
conclude,
fancy,
speculate,
infer,
deduce,
come to the conclusion,
conjecture,
opine (formal),
hazard a guess
in the sense of theorize
Definition
to produce or use theories
We can theorize about their minds by watching them behave.
Synonyms
speculate,
conjecture,
hypothesize,
project,
suppose,
guess,
formulate,
propound,
blue-sky
in the sense of wonder
Definition
to think about something with curiosity or doubt
I wonder what he's up to.We were wondering where you were.