speculation

noun9

1. •
   The process or act of thinking or meditating on a subject.

   • Thenceforth to speculations high or deep I turned my thoughts. — 1667
2. •
   A conclusion to which the mind comes by speculating; mere theory; notion; conjecture.

   • [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
3. •
   An investment involving higher-than-normal risk in order to obtain a higher-than-normal return.
4. •
   The 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
5. •
   The act or process of reasoning a priori from premises given or assumed.
6. •
   The process of anticipating which branch of code will be chosen and executing it in advance.
7. •
   A 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.
8. •
   (no longer used) An 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
9. •
   (no longer used) The faculty of sight.

   • Thou hast no speculation in those eyes. — 1606