speculate
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++spec·u·late /ˈspekjəleɪt/ ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]GUESS to guess about the possible causes or effects of something, without knowing all the facts or details 猜测，推测 She refused to speculate. 她拒绝猜测。speculate on/about (why/what etc) Jones refused to speculate about what might happen. 琼斯拒绝猜测可能会发生什么事情。speculate that Some analysts speculated that jobs will be lost. 一些分析家推测工作职位将会减少。2 [intransitive]BFBB to buy goods, property, shares in a company etc, hoping that you will make a large profit when you sell them 投机，做投机买卖speculate in/on He speculated in stocks. 他炒股票。→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
speculate• We don't know why the prehistoric stone circles were built. We can only speculate.• Party insiders had speculated about competition between Symington and Woods to lead the delegation.• People have been speculating about interstellar flight for years.• Wall Street had speculated earlier this week that Kodak would unload the unprofitable unit.• Terry speculated heavily in mining shares and lost a lot of money.• Builders and developers themselves may also speculate in land in this way.• Her father made his money speculating on the New York Stock Exchange.• Edward began to speculate on what life would be like if he were single again.• He speculated that the people down south in San Diego just don't know who Bob Farner is.• Edouard, who had had plenty of time to speculate, was still surprised by her arrival.speculate that• Scientists speculate that a giant asteroid hit Earth millions of years ago.• Some experts speculate that a Perot candidacy would hurt the Dole-Kemp ticket more than Clinton in November.• But he and some other scientists speculate that microbes may once have dwelled in Martian bodies of water.• At another he speculates that none of them knew much about news or editing.• Expert witnesses speculated that the number of cases of leprosy in the country was between 500 and 2,500.• Some speculated that this may have been a product of trying to create a hypertext and converting that into text.• It is possible to speculate that this system might enter a region of chaotic behavior in vivo.speculate in/on• Police would not speculate on a motive, except to say that Avanesian had a long-running dispute with his wife.• Builders and developers themselves may also speculate in land in this way.• They speculated on Luke's future standing in the community after he was discharged from hospital.• But he also speculated on much wider issues.• That is their secret, and will remain so; it behoves us not to pry, only to speculate in passing.• In the absence of systematic research on these questions one can only speculate on the likely consequences of changes in employment practices.• Without much else to do, they speculate on when and with whom she will lose her virginity.• We can speculate on why great things are often accomplished in dull or tacky surroundings.From Longman Business Dictionaryspeculatespec‧u‧late /ˈspekjəleɪt/ verb1[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 quicklyspeculate inInvestors may speculate in distressed companies that they think may restructure themselves or be taken over.speculate onMany ordinary people have now started to speculate on the stock market.It is no longer as profitable to speculate on oil futures.2[intransitive, transitive] to think or talk about the possible causes or effects of something without knowing all the facts or detailsspeculate on/aboutMany people speculate on the effect of long-term unemployment on the crime rate.He declined to speculate about the likely cost of the project.speculate thatIndustry analysts now speculate that the company may go into receivership.→ See Verb tableOrigin speculate (1500-1600) Latin past participle of speculari “to watch (secretly)”, from specere “to look (at)”spec·u·late verbChineseSyllable
about to the causes effects Corpus guess or possible of something, Business
speculate
spec‧u‧late /ˈspekjəleɪt, ˈspekjʊleɪt/
verb
She refused to speculate.
speculate on/about (why/what etc)
Jones refused to speculate about what might happen.
speculate that
Some analysts speculated that jobs will be lost.
2. [intransitive] to buy goods, property, shares in a company etc, hoping that you will make a large profit when you sell them
speculate in/on
He speculated in stocks.
spec‧u‧late /ˈspekjəleɪt, ˈspekjʊleɪt/
verb Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: past participle of speculari 'to watch (secretly)', from specere 'to look (at)'
1. [intransitive and transitive] to guess about the possible causes or effects of something, without knowing all the facts or details:Language: Latin
Origin: past participle of speculari 'to watch (secretly)', from specere 'to look (at)'
speculate on/about (why/what etc)
speculate that
2. [intransitive] to buy goods, property, shares in a company etc, hoping that you will make a large profit when you sell them
speculate in/on
◆ I think it's likely that these people know each other.我认为这些人可能彼此认识。 ◆ I imagine she's his wife.我猜她是他的妻子。 ◆ They might/may/could be related.( BrE or NAmE 他们可能有亲属关系。 ◆ I would think/imagine/guess they've been waiting for some time.( BrE 我猜他们已经等了一段时间。 ◆ I guess that the car has broken down.( NAmE 我猜是车抛锚了。 ◆ I think this has probably happened before.我觉得这事很可能以前发生过。 ◆ It looks to me as though the woman is very angry.我看这女人好像很生气。 ◆ Perhaps/Probably/Possibly/It may be that/Maybe there has been an accident.( BrE or NAmE 可能出了事故。
photograph a picture that has been made using a camera 指照片、相片 ：◆ a photograph of the house 这座房子的照片 ◆ Can I take a photograph? 我可以拍个照吗？ picture a photograph 指照片、相片 ：◆ We had our picture taken in front of the hotel. 我们在旅馆前照了相。 photo a photograph 指照片、相片 ：◆ a passport photo 护照照片
photograph, picture or photo? 用 photograph、picture 还是 photo？
shot a photograph 指照片、相片 ：◆ I tried to get a shot of him in the water. 我试着给他拍一张在水中的照片。 NOTE Shot often places more emphasis on the process of taking the photograph, rather than the finished picture.* shot 通常更强调拍摄照片的过程，而非已拍出的照片。 snapshot/snap an informal photograph that is taken quickly, and not by a professional photographer 指非专业摄影师随手抓拍的照片 ：◆ holiday snaps 度假时随手拍的照片 print a copy of a photograph that is produced from film or from a digital camera 指由胶片或数码相机洗印的照片 ：◆ a set of prints 一套照片
Patterns
a colour photograph/picture/photo/snap/printto take a photograph/picture/photo/shot/snapshot