noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a matter for speculation/conjecture (= something people discuss and wonder about )
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His future had become a matter for speculation.
excite speculation (= encourage people to discuss something when they do not know the facts )
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The cut in US interest rates excited speculation of a similar cut in the UK.
fuel speculation/rumours/controversy etc
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Progress was slow, fueling concerns that the stadium would not be finished on time.
intense speculation (= a lot of guessing about what may have happened )
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After weeks of intense speculation, the actress announced that she was pregnant.
pure speculation (= a guess that is not based on any facts )
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Most of what you hear is pure speculation.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
considerable
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At present, there is considerable speculation about developments in the Corridor but little hard evidence.
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Inevitably there has been considerable speculation on the causes and implications of urban disturbances.
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There had been considerable speculation and concern that it was about to do so.
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There was also considerable press speculation that Bennett's decision had in part resulted from ill-feeling between himself and Sununu.
endless
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You become the source of endless speculation .
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There was endless media speculation about who the characters were in real life and which political insider was the author.
fuelled
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Criticisms of William Waldegrave's handling of the health portfolio fuelled speculation that he might be sacked.
further
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This is the critical signal that would stop all further speculation about what has actually been seen.
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He was spared further speculation by the descent of Miss Harker, candle aloft, like a vengeful ghost.
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A further speculation is that the optimum must lie between these two values.
idle
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But he had no time for idle speculation .
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Exactly when we might end our voyage was largely a matter of idle speculation .
intense
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The reasoning behind the unpopular and disastrous resignation immediately became the subject of intense speculation .
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How much money Simpson has is a matter of intense speculation and debate.
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Outside Whitehall there was now intense speculation about what was to happen.
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The brewing group has been the subject of intense speculation for decades.
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Yet it is worth remembering that they were fuelled by intense speculation about her marriage.
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The commencement of the trial ended a period of intense speculation that Barry would reach a plea bargain with the federal authorities.
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Against her will Polly had found herself curious about the subject of such intense speculation .
philosophical
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Putting aside more philosophical speculations , what does it tell you about the future of, er, your job?
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The seat of awareness is a subject of philosophical speculation .
pure
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But a regional health authority spokesman dismissed the document as pure speculation .
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There are clinical-minded people who claim that the youngsters are just hysterical from overwork, but that of course is pure speculation .
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How often he acquires them for himself, how often through another, is pure speculation .
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Jury will disregard that last as pure speculation on the witness's part.
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Critics are free to express opinions on such matters, but most of what you hear is pure speculation .
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I said this was pure speculation .
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But very little - if any - was written as pure speculation .
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Brady uses this horrid incident as a Rosebud inspiration for a life of flurry and accomplishment, but this is pure speculation .
recent
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It also dampened recent speculation that Tabai was seeking lucrative jobs outside Kiribati.
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Despite recent speculation , the club has denied any intention of leaving Los Angeles.
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Much of the recent speculation has overtly political motives.
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Names prominently mentioned in recent speculation have included retired Gen.
widespread
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Yesterday, the club's board of directors issued a statement aimed at silencing widespread speculation .
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Only Rugby Union holds out against the commercial tide despite widespread speculation about covert payments to players.
wild
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For several weeks after that, my head filled with a multitude of wild theories and speculations .
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And tougher regulations and market enforcement should slow wild speculation and heavy swings in trading.
■ NOUN
media
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I was amazed, following media speculation , that the number of visible police officers was so low.
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Much of the media speculation since then has focused on why Jackson married Presley, 27.
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There was endless media speculation about who the characters were in real life and which political insider was the author.
takeover
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Composites, which have attracted takeover speculation , were inclined to ease on disappointment that Pearl had been targeted.
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But takeover speculation could give the stock some zip.
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They fell 2p to 495p while United gained 7p to 421p on continuing takeover speculation .
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Fuld refused to comment on takeover speculation .
■ VERB
based
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The relationship between dealer and client would often become a fantasy world, based on speculation presented as logic.
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Yet the commercial is based on speculation that is indeed scary but not unjustified.
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The most obvious is that it helps you prepare your position so that it is based on facts rather than speculation or wishful thinking.
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My enthusiasm for this notion is not based on speculation .
comment
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But he refused to comment on speculation that it was the home of a former girlfriend of Mr McEvoy.
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Fuld refused to comment on takeover speculation .
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Equity Office would not comment on the speculation .
dismiss
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Her first sight of Miss Taylor dismissed Robbie's speculation .
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Recent social research has dismissed such speculation .
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Most readers have had a predilection to dismiss the arguments and speculations .
end
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It also ended speculation that Cuomo might pull his punches in criticizing Clinton on the welfare issue.
follow
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It followed days of frenzied speculation about his relationship with Diana and the state of her marriage to Prince Charles.
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The rampant inflation that followed Henry VIII's currency speculations and which his successors could hardly limit hit them most of all.
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I was amazed, following media speculation , that the number of visible police officers was so low.
fuel
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Yet it is worth remembering that they were fuelled by intense speculation about her marriage.
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The logical impenetrability of the administration's calculations at Camp David inevitably fuels speculation about the motivation for convening it.
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This fantasy was not fuelled by disinterested speculation but by envy.
fueled
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Kawaja fueled speculation by publicly suggesting that barrels of the by-product were shipped out under cover of night.
increase
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There is increased speculation this could be done through bankruptcy or a reorganization under bankruptcy protection.
lead
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This led to speculation that it was virtually impossible for humans to break 20 seconds for the 200m round a curve.
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Therefore, this line of reasoning leads to the speculation that neurones can be chaotic.
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These and other observations have led to the obvious speculation that plumes arise at the core-mantle boundary.
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His urge to make money led him into timber speculation .
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The tower is fully let, leading to speculation that funds were diverted to deal with its liquidity crunch.
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Evolutionism played only a minor role because it was associated with the old, rather amateurish techniques that led to unlimited speculation .
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He started practicing with the Lakers recently, and that led to the inevitable speculation that he was again thinking of returning.
prompt
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The deal prompted speculation about further consolidation in the sector.
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This observation prompts the speculation that chains of right-handed amino acids will form left-handed a-helices and this does seem to be so.
remain
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Such matters remained a subject for speculation in August 1945.
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The partners remain sanguine about speculation that their tenure of the company they founded is coming to an end.
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Whether they are actually his desires, or those of the devil, must remain speculation .
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This will remain an untestable speculation unless and until we meet other forms of life, but speculation can be useful.
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Must this remain speculation , or are there ways we can find out more about this mysterious earth energy?
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Quite what the Faulkner/SDLP executive might have achieved will always remain a matter of speculation .
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The status of Fries's ideas remains that of interesting speculation .
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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A further defeat for the government led to increasing speculation that the Prime Minister would resign.
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Any suggestion of an imminent crash in property prices is pure speculation .
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In the last quarter, there has been a rise in bond speculation .
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Reports that the couple are getting a divorce have been dismissed as wild speculation .
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Share prices increased amid speculation that the Bank of England would cut interest rates.
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The investigation into the crash continued amid speculation that terrorists had destroyed the plane.
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The news fuelled speculation that the President's health had become significantly worse.
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The success of the book was heightened by media speculation about who the characters were in real life.
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the wild speculation that surrounded Princess Diana's death
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There has been a lot of speculation about the date of the next election.
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There was a great deal of speculation about a possible merger involving Belgium's largest banks.
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Washington was buzzing with speculation that the senator would resign.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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After a week of fevered speculation , John Major, Britain's prime minister, shuffled his cabinet.
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It also rejected speculation that Button was trying to steal the plane.
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It is the second type of question which is aimed at arousing speculation about possible solutions.
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Of course, Fellini would reject such intellectual speculations.
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This has given rise to speculation about the origins of such territorial units and the rationale behind the siting of cemeteries.
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Where all this leaves Napster has been the subject of much speculation .