1.  speculate(v = verb.cognition) conjecture, hypothecate, hypothesise, hypothesize, suppose, theorise, theorize - to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds; "Scientists supposed that large dinosaurs lived in swamps"
is one way to anticipate, expect
Derived forms noun speculation₂, adjective speculative₂, noun speculator₁
Sample sentences: They speculate that there was a traffic accident

2.  speculate(v = verb.communication) - 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"
is one way to reason
Derived forms noun speculation₁, adjective speculative₂, noun speculator₁
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

3.  speculate(v = verb.cognition) chew over, contemplate, excogitate, meditate, mull, mull over, muse, ponder, reflect, ruminate, think over - 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"
is one way to cerebrate, cogitate, think
Derived forms noun speculation₄, adjective speculative₃
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s PP

4.  speculate(v = verb.possession) job - 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"
is one way to commit, invest, place, put
Derived forms noun speculation₃, adjective speculative₁, noun speculator₂
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s; Somebody ----s PP

1.  To consider by turning a subject in the mind, and viewing it in its different aspects and relations; to meditate; to contemplate; to theorize; as, to speculate on questions in religion; to speculate on political events. [1913 Webster]
"It is remarkable that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most pefect quietude to the external regulations of society." [1913 Webster]

2.  To view subjects from certain premises given or assumed, and infer conclusions respecting them a priori. [1913 Webster]

3.  To purchase with the expectation of a contingent advance in value, and a consequent sale at a profit; -- often, in a somewhat depreciative sense, of unsound or hazardous transactions; as, to speculate in coffee, in sugar, or in bank stock. [1913 Webster]

   To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing. Sir W. Hamilton. [1913 Webster]

speculate, v.
1 intr. (usu. foll. by on, upon, about) form a theory or conjecture, esp. without a firm factual basis; meditate (speculated on their prospects).
2 tr. (foll. by that, how, etc. + clause) conjecture, consider (speculated how he might achieve it).
3 intr. a invest in stocks etc. in the hope of gain but with the possibility of loss. b gamble recklessly.

Derivative:
speculator n.

Etymology:
L speculari spy out, observe f. specula watch-tower f. specere look

VB  chance, stand a chance, toss up, cast lots, draw lots, leave to chance, trust to chance, leave to the chapter of accidents, trust to the chapter of accidents, tempt fortune, chance it, take one's chance, take a shot at it (attempt), run the risk, run the chance, incur the risk, incur the chance, encounter the risk, encounter the chance, stand the hazard of the die, speculate, try one's luck, set on a cast, raffle, put into a lottery, buy a pig in a poke, shuffle the cards, risk, venture, hazard, stake, ante, lay, lay a wager, make a bet, wager, bet, gamble, game, play for, play at chuck farthing, chance, hap, turn up, fall to one's lot, be one's fate, stumble on light upon, take one's chance.

VB  try, essay, experiment, endeavor, strive, tempt, attempt, make an attempt, venture, adventure, speculate, take one's chance, tempt fortune, try one's fortune, try one's luck, try one's hand, use one's endeavor, feel one's way, grope one's way, pick one's way, try hard, push, make a bold push, use one's best endeavor, do one's best.

VB  barter, exchange, swap, swop, truck, scorse, interchange, commutate, compound for, trade, traffic, buy and sell, give and take, nundinate, carry on a trade, ply a trade, drive a trade, be in business, be in the city, keep a shop, deal in, employ one's capital in, trade with, deal with, have dealings with, transact business with, do business with, open an account with, keep an account with, bargain, drive a bargain, make a bargain, negotiate, bid for, haggle, higgle, dicker, chaffer, huckster, cheapen, beat down, stickle, stickle for, out bid, under bid, ask, charge, strike a bargain, speculate, give a sprat to catch a herring, buy in the cheapest and sell in the dearest market, buy low and sell high, corner the market, rig the market, stag the market.

VB  speculate, invest, trade, trade stocks, play the market, buy long, sell short, take a position, straddle, take a plunge, plunge in, take a flier.

VB  see, behold, discern, perceive, have in sight, descry, sight, make out, discover, distinguish, recognize, spy, espy, ken, get a sight of, have a sight of, catch a sight of, get a glimpse of, have a glimpse of, catch a glimpse of, command a view of, witness, contemplate, speculate, cast the eyes on, set the eyes on, be a spectator of, look on, see sights, see at a glance, look, view, eye, lift up the eyes, open one's eye, look at, look on, look upon, look over, look about one, look round, survey, scan, inspect, run the eye over, run the eye through, reconnoiter, glance round, glance on, glance over turn one's looks upon, bend one's looks upon, direct the eyes to, turn the eyes on, cast a glance, observe, watch, see with one's own eyes, watch for, peep, peer, pry, take a peep, play at bopeep, look full in the face, look hard at, look intently, strain one's eyes, fix the eyes upon, rivet the eyes upon, stare, gaze, pore over, gloat on, leer, ogle, glare, goggle, cock the eye, squint, gloat, look askance.

VB  think, reflect, cogitate, excogitate, consider, deliberate, bestow thought upon, bestow consideration upon, speculate, contemplate, meditate, ponder, muse, dream, ruminate, brood over, con over, animadvert, study, bend the mind, apply the mind, digest, discuss, hammer at, weigh, perpend, realize, appreciate, fancy, trow, take into consideration, take counsel, commune with oneself, bethink oneself, collect one's thoughts, revolve in the mind, turn over in the mind, run over in the mind, chew the cud upon, sleep upon, take counsel of one's pillow, advise with one's pillow, rack one's brains, ransack one's brains, crack one's brains, beat one's brains, cudgel one's brains, set one's brain to work, set one's wits to work, harbor an idea, entertain an idea, cherish an idea, nurture an idea, take into one's head, bear in mind, reconsider, occur, present itself, suggest itself, come into one's head, get into one's head, strike one, flit across the view, come uppermost, run in one s head, enter the mind, pass in the mind, cross the mind, flash on the mind, flash across the mind, float in the mind, fasten itself on the mind, be uppermost in the mind, occupy the mind, have in one's mind, make an impression, sink into the mind, penetrate into the mind, engross the thoughts.

VB  suppose, conjecture, surmise, suspect, guess, divine, theorize, presume, presurmise, presuppose, assume, fancy, wis, take it, give a guess, speculate, believe, dare say, take it into one's head, take for granted, imagine, put forth, propound, propose, start, put a case, submit, move, make a motion, hazard out, throw out a suggestion, put forward a suggestion, put forward conjecture, allude to, suggest, hint, put it into one's head, suggest itself, run in the head, marvel if, wonder if, wonder whether.