specious /ˋspiʃəs/
spec(to look)-i-ous
adj.似是而非的 [apparently correct or true, but actually wrong or false ]
ex. 廣增大學會提升教育程度，以及帶動薪資成長，其實上一個specious argument。
ps. ostensible adj. 表面的, 假裝的 (p.366),
ps. plausible adj.似乎正確的, 似有道理的 (p.362)
etymology: Latin speciōsus fair, good-looking, beautiful. 在拉丁文中，所指的是外表好看的，具有attractive的」。而到現今所指的為外表看似正確，但實際上卻是不對的。
spectacle /ˋspɛktəkl/
spec(to look)-ta-cle
n. [a grand and impressive event or performance. ]
ex. The coronation was a lavish spectacle.
ps. a great fireworks show
字源：在源於拉丁文中的 L. spectaculum "a show" or 公開的表演。而從17世紀開始，spectacle也指的是一種劇場藝術的名稱。
n. 眼鏡 (Old-fashioned)
spectacular /spɛkˋtækjəlɚ/
spectacle-ar
adj. [of or like a spectacle; marked by or given to an impressive, large-scale display.]
ex. spectacular views from the top of a mountain.
n. [an impressive, large-scale display]
ex. another Hollywood spectacular.
ex. a television spectacular for Christmas.
ps. 這個字當名詞時也是常被使用的唷，ex.唱片的title有人就取 Jazz spectacular. 而TV series, songs也有很多以spectacular為命名的。
spectator
spect(to look)-ator
n.觀眾 [someone who watches something, especially a sporting event]
ex. noisy spectators at a football match.
ex. Watching celebrities walk the red carpet before an award show has become an increasingly popular spectator sport.
字源：from L. spectator "viewer, watcher,"大致上就是指來看spectacle的觀眾們。
specter
spect(to look)-er
n. [a ghost; phantom; apparition]
ps. 鬼就是種，看而摸不到的東西
note:
phantom (p. 356) /ˋfæntəm/
ps. phan -->phen == appearance, show 出現
ex. The Phantom Of The Opera
apparition (p.31)
ps. appear-ition
spectral /ˋspɛktrəl/
specter-al
adj.幽靈的 [of or pertaining to a specter; ghostly ]
adj. 光譜的 = spectrum + al
ps. 在HR diagram中，其中的x軸常用 spectral class or spectral type，那是指光譜的種類，不是指鬼唷。
The Cosmic Classroom - The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram.
約8分半
spectrum
spect(to look)-er-um
n.光譜
考古：color:spectrum＝tone:scale (各種顏色組成光譜＝各種音調組成音階)
Quantum Mechanics: The Structure Of Atoms
speculate
spec-ul-ate
v. [If you speculate about something, you make guesses about its nature or identity, or about what might happen. ]
ex. We were speculating whether the President had to resign after the scandal.
ex. I had published my speculations about the future of the universe in the Review of Modern Physics.
v. 做投機買賣 [to buy and sell goods or stocks and shares in the hope of making a profit through changes in their value, but with the risk of losing money]
ex. The banks made too many risky loans which now can't be repaid, and they speculated in property whose value has now dropped.
from wiki: Speculation is the practice of engaging in risky financial transactions in an attempt to profit from short or medium term fluctuations in the market value of a tradable good such as a financial instrument, rather than attempting to profit from the underlying financial attributes embodied in the instrument such as capital gains, interest, or dividends.
speculative /ˋspɛkjələtɪv/
spec(to look)-ul-ative
adj. [pertaining to, of the nature of, or characterized by speculation, contemplation, conjecture, or abstract reasoning]
ex. a theory based on the particles that never observed is speculative.
adj.投機的
ex. speculative real estate projects.
speck
n. [a very small spot]
ex. our galaxy is just a speck in the universe.
ex. a speck of soot on his shirt.
ps. 在烹飪中，speck指的是脂肪，可能是因為脂肪在肉上面看起來就像一個小點般，像是Bacon。
spell
n.咒語 [words which are supposed to hold magical power]
ps. 哈利波特的咒語
ex. under the spell of her beauty.
n.某事物持續的一段時間 (隱喻著中咒語、魔法的時間)
ex. a cold spell in January
v. [to name or write letters of (a word) in their correct order]
ex. please tell me how to spell your name.
spendthrift
spend-thrift
n.花錢很兇，或是很浪費的人 [someone who spends money prodigally]
ps. 像是中樂透，卻一夕之間就花光所有的錢一樣。
ps. thrift有個較少用到，已經過時的字義，叫做"財富"，而平常我們都是當作"節儉"來解釋的。所以組合起來就是散盡家財的意思。更早之前的字，像是scattergood, spend-all, 就是被我們現在看到的spendthrift所取代的字。
note: prodigal (p.377), profligate (p.378),
adj. [wastefully extravagant]
spike
n.長釘 [a piece of something that is thick and long with a pointed and sharp end, usually made of metal.]
ex. use spikes to secure a tent to the ground.
ps. 釘鞋的釘子也叫做spikes
ps. 穗也可以叫spikes.
