n. [ L. depeculari, p. p. depeculatus, to rob. See Peculate. ] A robbing or embezzlement. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Depeculation of the public treasure. Hobbes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Picul. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Peculated p. pr. & vb. n. Peculating. ] [ L. peculatus, p. p. of peculari to peculate, akin to peculium private property. See Peculiar. ] To appropriate to one's own use the property of the public; to steal public moneys intrusted to one's care; to embezzle. [ 1913 Webster ]

An oppressive, . . . rapacious, and peculating despotism. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or practice of peculating, or of defrauding the public by appropriating to one's own use the money or goods intrusted to one's care for management or disbursement; embezzlement. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every British subject . . . active in the discovery of peculations has been ruined. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. ] One who peculates. “Peculators of the public gold.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. peculiaris, fr. peculium private property, akin to pecunia money: cf. OF. peculier. See Pecuniary. ] 1. One's own; belonging solely or especially to an individual; not possessed by others; of private, personal, or characteristic possession and use; not owned in common or in participation. [ 1913 Webster ]

And purify unto himself a peculiar people. Titus ii. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hymns . . . that Christianity hath peculiar unto itself. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Particular; individual; special; appropriate. [ 1913 Webster ]

While each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

My fate is Juno's most peculiar care. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Unusual; singular; rare; strange; as, the sky had a peculiar appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Peculiar, Special, Especial. Peculiar is from the Roman peculium, which was a thing emphatically and distinctively one's own, and hence was dear. The former sense always belongs to peculiar (as, a peculiar style, peculiar manners, etc.), and usually so much of the latter as to involve feelings of interest; as, peculiar care, watchfulness, satisfaction, etc. Nothing of this kind belongs to special and especial. They mark simply the relation of species to genus, and denote that there is something in this case more than ordinary; as, a special act of Congress; especial pains, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Beauty, which, either walking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

For naught so vile that on the earth doth live,
But to the earth some special good doth give. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which is peculiar; a sole or exclusive property; a prerogative; a characteristic. [ 1913 Webster ]

Revenge is . . . the peculiar of Heaven. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eng. Canon Law) A particular parish or church which is exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary. [ 1913 Webster ]

Court of Peculiars (Eng. Law), a branch of the Court of Arches having cognizance of the affairs of peculiars. Blackstone. --
Dean of peculiars. See under Dean, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Peculiarities 1. The quality or state of being peculiar; individuality; singularity. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is peculiar; a special and distinctive characteristic or habit; particularity. [ 1913 Webster ]

The smallest peculiarity of temper or manner. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Exclusive possession or right. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Peculiarized p. pr. & vb. n. Peculiarizing ] To make peculiar; to set apart or assign, as an exclusive possession. [ R. ] Dr. John Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a peculiar manner; particularly; in a rare and striking degree; unusually. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being peculiar; peculiarity. Mede. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L. See Peculiar. ] 1. (Rom. Law) The saving of a son or a slave with the father's or master's consent; a little property or stock of one's own; any exclusive personal or separate property. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A special fund for private and personal uses. [ 1913 Webster ]

A slight peculium only subtracted to supply his snuff box and tobacco pouch. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. specularis (cf., from the same root, specula a lookout, watchtower): cf. F. spéculaire. See Speculum. ] 1. Having the qualities of a speculum, or mirror; having a smooth, reflecting surface; as, a specular metal; a specular surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Of or pertaining to a speculum; conducted with the aid of a speculum; as, a specular examination. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Assisting sight, as a lens or the like. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy specular orb
Apply to well-dissected kernels; lo!
In each observe the slender threads
Of first-beginning trees. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Affording view. [ R. ] “Look once more, ere we leave this specular mount.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Specular iron. (Min.) See Hematite. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Speculated p. pr. & vb. n. Speculating. ] [ L. speculatus, p. p. of speculari to spy out, observe, fr. specula a lookout, fr. specere to look. See Spy. ] 1. To consider by turning a subject in the mind, and viewing it in its different aspects and relations; to meditate; to contemplate; to theorize; as, to speculate on questions in religion; to speculate on political events. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is remarkable that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most pefect quietude to the external regulations of society. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Philos.) To view subjects from certain premises given or assumed, and infer conclusions respecting them a priori. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Com.) To purchase with the expectation of a contingent advance in value, and a consequent sale at a profit; -- often, in a somewhat depreciative sense, of unsound or hazardous transactions; as, to speculate in coffee, in sugar, or in bank stock. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing. [ R. ] Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. speculatio a spying out, observation: cf. F. spéculation. ] 1. The act of speculating. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) Examination by the eye; view. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) Mental view of anything in its various aspects and relations; contemplation; intellectual examination. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thenceforth to speculations high or deep
I turned my thoughts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) (Philos.) The act or process of reasoning a priori from premises given or assumed. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) (Com.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sudden fortunes, indeed, are sometimes made in such places, by what is called the trade of speculation. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Speculation, while confined within moderate limits, is the agent for equalizing supply and demand, and rendering the fluctuations of price less sudden and abrupt than they would otherwise be. F. A. Walker. [ 1913 Webster ]

(e) Any business venture in involving unusual risks, with a chance for large profits. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A conclusion to which the mind comes by speculating; mere theory; view; notion; conjecture. [ 1913 Webster ]

From him Socrates derived the principles of morality, and most part of his natural speculations. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

To his speculations on these subjects he gave the lofty name of the “Oracles of Reason.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Power of sight. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou hast no speculation in those eyes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A game at cards 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who speculates, or forms theories; a speculator; a theorist. [ 1913 Webster ]

The very ingenious speculatist, Mr. Hume. V. Knox. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. spéculatif, L. speculativus. ] 1. Given to speculation; contemplative. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mind of man being by nature speculative. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Involving, or formed by, speculation; ideal; theoretical; not established by demonstration. Cudworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Of or pertaining to vision; also, prying; inquisitive; curious. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Of or pertaining to speculation in land, goods, shares, etc.; as, a speculative dealer or enterprise. [ 1913 Webster ]

The speculative merchant exercises no one regular, established, or well-known branch of business. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Finance) More risky than typical investments; not investment grade. [ PJC ]

-- Spec"u*la*tive*ly, adv. -- Spec"u*la*tive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., a spy, explorer, investigator: cf. F. spéculateur. ] One who speculates. Specifically: (a) An observer; a contemplator; hence, a spy; a watcher. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) One who forms theories; a theorist. [ 1913 Webster ]

A speculator who had dared to affirm that the human soul is by nature mortal. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) (Com.) One who engages in speculation; one who buys and sells goods, land, etc., with the expectation of deriving profit from fluctuations in price. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Speculatory; speculative. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. speculatorius belonging to spies or scouts. ] 1. Intended or adapted for viewing or espying; having oversight. T. Warton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exercising speculation; speculative. T. Carew. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who observes or considers; an observer. [ R. ] Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. L. Specula E. Speculum [ L., fr. specere to look, behold. See Spy. ] 1. A mirror, or looking-glass; especially, a metal mirror, as in Greek and Roman archaeology. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A reflector of polished metal, especially one used in reflecting telescopes. See Speculum metal, below. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Surg.) An instrument for dilating certain passages of the body, and throwing light within them, thus facilitating examination or surgical operations. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) A bright and lustrous patch of color found on the wings of ducks and some other birds. It is usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and is much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female. [ 1913 Webster ]

Speculum metal, a hard, brittle alloy used for making the reflectors of telescopes and other instruments, usually consisting of copper and tin in various proportions, one of the best being that in which there are 126.4 parts of copper to 58.9 parts of tin, with sometimes a small proportion of arsenic, antimony, or zinc added to improve the whiteness. [ 1913 Webster ]