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spec·u·la·tion noun : an act or instance of speculating

Synonyms

chance, enterprise, flier, gamble, venture—more at GAMBLE

spec·u·la·tive adjective : involving, based on, or constituting intellectual speculation; also : theoretical rather than demonstrable

Synonyms

conjectural, hypothetical, theoretical—more at THEORETICAL

speech noun 1 : the act of speaking

2 : TALK, CONVERSATION

3 : a public talk or lecture

4 : a variety of language identified with a region or group : LANGUAGE

5 : an individual manner of speaking

6 : the power of speaking

Synonyms

address, declamation, harangue, oration, talk; also diatribe, rant, tirade; eulogy, panegyric, tribute; lecture; homily, sermon; monologue, soliloquy; pitch, presentation, spiel

speech·less adjective : unable to speak; also : not speaking

Synonyms

dumb, mum, mute, silent, uncommunicative—more at SILENT

1speed noun 1 archaic : SUCCESS

2 : the act or state of moving swiftly : SWIFTNESS

3 : rate of motion or performance

4 : a transmission gear (as of a bicycle)

5 : METHAMPHETAMINE; also : a related drug

Synonyms

celerity, fastness, fleetness, haste, hurry, quickness, rapidity, swiftness, velocity; also clip, pace, rate, tempo; drive, hustle; acceleration, rush; dispatch, expedition, promptness

Antonyms

slowness, sluggishness

2speed verb sped or speed·ed; speed·ing 1 archaic : PROSPER; also : GET ALONG, FARE

2 : to go fast; especially : to go at an excessive or illegal speed

3 : to cause to go faster

— speed·er noun

Synonyms

[2] barrel, dash, fly, hurry, hurtle, hustle, pelt, race, rip, rocket, shoot, tear, zip, zoom—more at HURRY

usually speed up [3] accelerate, hasten, hurry, quicken, rush, step up, whisk—more at HURRY

speed·boat noun : a fast motorboat

speed bump noun : a low raised ridge across a roadway (as in a parking lot) to limit vehicle speed

speed·i·ly adverb : in a speedy manner

Synonyms

apace, briskly, fast, full tilt, hastily, posthaste, presto, pronto, quick, quickly, rapidly, soon, swiftly—more at FAST

speed of light : a fundamental physical constant that is the speed of electromagnetic radiation propagation in a vacuum and has the value of 299,792,458 meters per second

speed·om·e·ter noun : an instrument for indicating speed

speed·up noun : ACCELERATION

speed·way noun : a racecourse for motor vehicles

speed·well noun : VERONICA

speedy adjective : marked by swiftness of motion or action

Synonyms

breakneck, breathless, brisk, dizzy, fast, fleet, hasty, lightning, nippy, quick, rapid, rattling, snappy, swift—more at FAST

1spell verb spelled ; spell·ing [ORIGIN: ME, to signify, read by spelling out, fr. AF espeleir, of Gmc origin]

1 : to name, write, or print in order the letters of a word

2 : to add up to : MEAN

Synonyms

denote, express, import, mean, signify—more at MEAN

2spell noun [ORIGIN: ME, talk, tale, fr. OE]

1 : a magic formula : INCANTATION

2 : a controlling influence

Synonyms

bewitchment, charm, conjuration, enchantment, incantation; also hex, jinx, curse; conjuring, magic, necromancy, sorcery, witchcraft, witchery, wizardry

3spell noun 1 : one's turn at work or duty

2 : a stretch of a specified kind of weather

3 : a period of bodily or mental distress or disorder : ATTACK

4 : an indeterminate period of time

Synonyms

[3] attack, bout, case, fit, seizure, siege—more at ATTACK

[4] bit, space, stretch, while—more at WHILE

4spell verb spelled ; spell·ing : to take the place of for a time in work or duty : RELIEVE

5spell verb spelled ; spell·ing : to put under a spell

spell·bind·er noun : a speaker of compelling eloquence

spell·bound adjective : held by or as if by a spell

Synonyms

bewitched, charmed, entranced

spell–check·er noun : a computer program that identifies possible misspellings in a block of text

— spell–check verb

spell·er noun 1 : one who spells words

2 : a book with exercises for teaching spelling

spell out