The Collaborative International Dictionary
Speculative \Spec"u*la*tive\ (sp[e^]k"[-u]*l[.a]*t[i^]v), a.
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Given to speculation; contemplative.
The mind of man being by nature speculative.
--Hooker. Involving, or formed by, speculation; ideal; theoretical; not established by demonstration.
--Cudworth.Of or pertaining to vision; also, prying; inquisitive; curious. [R.]
--Bacon.-
Of or pertaining to speculation in land, goods, shares, etc.; as, a speculative dealer or enterprise.
The speculative merchant exercises no one regular, established, or well-known branch of business.
--A. Smith. (Finance) More risky than typical investments; not investment grade. [PJC] -- Spec"u*la*tive*ly, adv. -- Spec"u*la*tive*ness, n.
Wiktionary
adv. In a speculative manner.
WordNet
adv. in a speculative manner; "he looked at her speculatively" [syn: with speculation]
Usage examples of "speculatively".
He halted and looked at Bett, then went hyperconscious to zlin her speculatively, letting his need rise into his awareness as her replete selyn fields penetrated him.
Eyeing Volpone and Stillworth speculatively as he turned toward the door, Patt departed with a curt nod.
Kane frowned slightly and continued to examine the bloodstone ring speculatively.
Still eyeing me speculatively, the Governor nodded toward a straight-backed chair and a smaller desk at the side of the room.
He halted and looked at Bett, then went hyperconscious to zlin her speculatively, letting his need rise into his awareness as her replete selyn fields penetrated him.
Tony smiled lopsidedly, threw the ring into the air twice, speculatively, catching it in his palm.
I looked speculatively at Mackie, wondering about her sometime engagement to Nolan.
I could still see—with a feeling of grim satisfaction—the look on Dougal's face when his squat, black-bearded lieutenant eyed me speculatively, then patted the dags at his belt and said, "Aye, lass, why not?
Randall walked down to the corner, glanced speculatively at a stand of taxis, then swung aboard a bus which had just drawn up to its stop.
He speculatively eyed the painted portraits of ships and navy officers that hung on its walls, took in the polished hardwood sideboard and chairs, and almost smiled at the sterling silver flatware on a dining table that was covered by a white linen cloth with a damasked pattern.
Atha said, looking at Darien speculatively and ignoring Inis entirely.
Still,' and he looked at me speculatively again, shaking his head, 'I don't understand how you managed to remain-' he hesitated and supplied another word, '- untouched.
And even as she sat down next to her son and thanked Holly for her cup of hot cocoa, her thoughts had turned speculatively to the idea of divorce again.
The gong sounded for another order of Peking Duck and while it reverberated through the restaurant, a mellow undertone to the conversations occurring in at least three different languages, Vicki raised a spoonful of hot-and-sour soup to her lips and stared speculatively at Mike Celluci.
Most of the German nationals had taken up the story of Gunther Guillaume and 1974 from the previous day's Sunday Times and had treated it fully, speculatively, and with unanimous though veiled accusation of Aubrey for his part in the Guillaume scandal.