{
    "term": "speculation",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the act of forming opinions about what has happened or what might happen without knowing all the facts",
            "sensetop": "speculation that…speculation about somethingspeculation over something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His private life is the subject of much speculation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was widespread speculation that she was going to resign.",
                    "contextForm": "speculation that…"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Today's announcement ends months of speculation about the company's future.",
                    "contextForm": "speculation about something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The president’s absence led to speculation over his health.",
                    "contextForm": "speculation over something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She dismissed the newspaper reports as **pure speculation**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our speculations proved right."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was dropped from the team amid speculation that he was sick."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Much speculation surrounds his role in the crisis."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Speculation is mounting that a new tax will be introduced."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Speculation was rife as to who would be chosen as a successor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Speculation was rife as to whom the prince might marry."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There has been a lot of speculation linking the defender with a move to Chelsea."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There has been increasing speculation over the company's future."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There was wild speculation among the students as to the reason for cancelling the lecture."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is just speculation on my part."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This issue has attracted a great deal of speculation among economists."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Whether or not he will get the job is mere speculation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "With a lack of credible answers, speculation is running rampant."
                },
                {
                    "text": "amateur speculation based on questionable assumptions"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Speculation was rife that he was having an affair."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The visit fuelled speculation about a major arms deal between the two countries."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There has been intense media speculation over the past few days."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument", "Doubt, guessing and certainty"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["considerable", "intense", "much"],
                "verb + speculation": ["cause", "encourage", "fuel"],
                "speculation + verb": ["be rife", "run rampant", "grow"],
                "preposition": [
                    "amid speculation",
                    "speculation among",
                    "speculation about"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "a matter for speculation",
                    "a matter of speculation",
                    "a subject of speculation"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the activity of buying and selling goods or shares in a company in the hope of making a profit, but with the risk of losing money",
            "sensetop": "speculation (in something)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "speculation in oil"
                },
                {
                    "text": "speculation against the euro"
                },
                {
                    "text": "speculation on the stock market"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["financial", "market", "stock-market"],
                "preposition": ["speculation in", "speculation on"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˌspekjuˈleɪʃn/",
                "audio": "sp/speculation/speculation__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˌspekjuˈleɪʃn/",
                "audio": "sp/speculation/speculation__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": null
}