speculate
Formsspeculates, speculating, speculated
- 1To guess about something when you do not have all the facts.
Like guessing the end of a story before you finish reading it.
Reporters began to speculate about who would win the election.
We can only speculate about what caused the strange noise.
Similarguess, conjecture, theorize, surmise, hypothesize
Note
- 2To buy or sell something risky, hoping its price goes up and makes you money.
Like betting money on a game, hoping you picked the winner.
He likes to speculate on cheap stocks and hope they rise.
Many people speculate on housing, hoping to sell later at a higher price.
Similargamble, bet, invest, venture
Oppositehedge
Note
- 3When a computer guesses which path a program will take and runs it early.
Like guessing the next test question and starting your answer early.
Modern chips speculate to keep their work moving quickly.
The processor will speculate when it cannot yet tell which way the code goes.
Note
Less common meaning
- 4To think deeply and carefully about a subject over a long time.
It is remarkable that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most perfect quietude to the external regulations of society.
1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet LetterHere, speculate means think deeply and reflect.Note
Practice
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Origin
It comes from Latin speculor, meaning "to watch or observe." This came from specula, a "watchtower."