spec·u·late
verb/ˈspekjuleɪt/
/ˈspekjuleɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they speculate | /ˈspekjuleɪt/ /ˈspekjuleɪt/ |
| he / she / it speculates | /ˈspekjuleɪts/ /ˈspekjuleɪts/ |
| past simple speculated | /ˈspekjuleɪtɪd/ /ˈspekjuleɪtɪd/ |
| past participle speculated | /ˈspekjuleɪtɪd/ /ˈspekjuleɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form speculating | /ˈspekjuleɪtɪŋ/ /ˈspekjuleɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to form an opinion about something without knowing all the details or facts
推测；猜测；推断 - speculate (about/on/as to something) We all speculated about the reasons for her resignation.
我们大家都推测过她辞职的原因。 - They were all speculating as to the identity of the stranger.
他们都在猜测这个陌生人的身份。 - speculate why, how, etc… It is useless to speculate why he did it.
对他为什么这么做妄加猜测毫无用处。 - speculate that… We can speculate that the stone circles were used in some sort of pagan ceremony.
我们可以推测，这些石头排成的圆圈是用于某种异教崇拜仪式的。
Express Yourself SpeculatingSpeculatingIn some exams, you have to talk about what you can see in a picture and speculate about the situation or a wider issue prompted by the picture. These are ways of saying what you think might be the case:- I think it's likely that these people know each other.
我认为这些人可能彼此认识。
- I think it's likely that these people know each other.
- I imagine she's his wife.
我猜她是他的妻子。
- I imagine she's his wife.
- They might/may/could be related.
他们可能有亲属关系。
- They might/may/could be related.
- I would think/imagine/guess they've been waiting for some time.
我猜他们已经等了一段时间。
- I would think/imagine/guess they've been waiting for some time.
- I guess that the car has broken down.
我猜是车抛锚了。
- I guess that the car has broken down.
- I think this has probably happened before.
我觉得这事很可能以前发生过。
- I think this has probably happened before.
- It looks to me as though the woman is very angry.
我看这女人好像很生气。
- It looks to me as though the woman is very angry.
- Perhaps/Probably/Possibly/It may be that/Maybe there has been an accident.
可能出了事故。
- Perhaps/Probably/Possibly/It may be that/Maybe there has been an accident.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentb2, Doubt, guessing and certaintyb2- Commentators are openly speculating on whether the accusation is false.
评论家们公开推测这一指控是不是诬告。 - He refused to speculate on her reasons for leaving.
他不想去猜测她离开的原因。 - It is idle to speculate what the consequences would have been.
猜测事情的结果本该怎样只会是徒然。 - It would be premature to speculate as to the outcome at this stage.
这个时候就推测结果还为时尚早。 - The British press speculated wildly about his disappearance.
对于他的失踪，英国报刊给出了各种各样不着边际的推测。 - There was no point in speculating about the possibility of them getting back together.
推测他们是否会重归于好毫无意义。 - We can only speculate as to this man's identity.
对于这名男子的身分我们只能猜测。 - Everyone speculated wildly about the reasons for her resignation.
大家都胡乱推测她辞职的原因。 - I'm not going to speculate on her reasons for leaving.
我不会猜测她离开的原因。 - It's interesting to speculate whether they really did believe in witchcraft.
推测他们是否真的相信巫术是很有趣的。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- openly
- publicly
- widely
- …
- can only
- be free to
- feel free to
- …
- about
- as to
- on
- …
- speculate (about/on/as to something) We all speculated about the reasons for her resignation.
- [intransitive] speculate (in/on something) to buy goods, property, shares, etc., hoping to make a profit when you sell them, but with the risk of losing money
投机；做投机买卖 - He likes to speculate on the stock market.
他喜欢炒股。
- He likes to speculate on the stock market.
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin speculat- ‘observed from a vantage point’, from the verb speculari, from specula ‘watchtower’, from specere ‘to look’.