speculation

plural speculations

1. countableuncountableThe process or act of thinking or meditating on a subject.

   Thenceforth to speculations high or deep I turned my thoughts.

   1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   It ſeems, the Minds of theſe People are ſo taken up with intenſe Speculations, that they neither can ſpeak, nor attend to the Diſcourſes of others, without being rouzed by ſome external Taction upon the Organs of Speech and Hearing; for which reaſon, thoſe Perſons who are able to afford it always keep a Flapper (the Original is Climenole) in their Family, as one of their Domeſticks, nor ever walk abroad or make Viſits without him.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Humours and Dispositions of the Laputians Described. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), pages 16–17

   The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have ended months of intense speculation by announcing they are expecting their first child, but were forced to share their news earlier than hoped because of the Duchess's admission to hospital on Monday.

   2012 December 3, Caroline Davies, The Guardian

2. countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe act or process of reasoning a priori from premises given or assumed.
3. countableuncountableA conclusion to which the mind comes by speculating; mere theory; notion; conjecture.

   To his speculations on these subjects he gave the lofty name of the "Oracles of Reason".

   1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XIX, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC

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   [N]ear the Age of Socrates lived their Great and Renowned Confutius, who began the ſame Deſign, of reclaiming Men from the uſeless and endleſs Speculations of Nature, to thoſe of Morality.

   1690, William Temple, Miscellanea. The Second Part. […], London: […] T. M. for Ri[chard] and Ra[lph] Simpson, […], →OCLC, page 23

4. countableuncountablebusinessAn investment involving higher-than-normal risk in order to obtain a higher-than-normal return.

   Synonyms: adventure

5. countableuncountableThe act or practice of buying land, goods, shares, etc., in expectation of selling at a higher price, or of selling with the expectation of repurchasing at a lower price; a trading on anticipated fluctuations in price, as distinguished from trading in which the profit expected is the difference between the retail and wholesale prices, or the difference of price in different markets.

   Sudden fortunes, indeed, are sometimes made in such places, by what is called the trade of speculation.

   1776, Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

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   Speculation, while confined within moderate limits, is the agent for equalizing supply and demand, and rendering the fluctuations of price less sudden and abrupt than they would otherwise be.

   1883, Francis Amasa Walker, Political Economy

6. countableuncountableA card game in which the players buy from one another trumps or whole hands, upon a chance of getting the highest trump dealt, which entitles the holder to the pool of stakes.
7. countableuncountablecomputingThe process of anticipating which branch of code will be chosen and executing it in advance.
8. countableobsoleteuncountableThe faculty of sight.

   Thou hast no speculation in those eyes.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]

9. countableobsoleteuncountableAn act of looking at something; examination, observation.

   [T]he expression of exultation and content on their animated faces, is one of my most delicious speculations.

   1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 115