speculate

think, cogitate, reflect, reason, speculate, deliberate mean to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference. think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions.

• • teaches students how to think

cogitate implies deep or intent thinking.

• • cogitated on the mysteries of nature

reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind.

• • reflecting on fifty years of married life

reason stresses consecutive logical thinking.

• • able to reason brilliantly in debate

speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic.

• • speculated on the fate of the lost explorers

deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision.

• • the jury deliberated for five hours