"on spec" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "on speculation"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of on speculation.",
      "name": "clipping of"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Clipping of on speculation.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "on spec (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1889, Banjo Paterson, Clancy of the Overflow:",
          "text": "I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better\nKnowledge, sent to where I met him down the Lachlan, years ago,\nHe was shearing when I knew him, so I sent the letter to him,\nJust on spec, addressed as follows, “Clancy, of The Overflow”.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In hope of success, using one's best guess."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_spec-en-adv-N2zcZg50",
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Business",
          "orig": "en:Business",
          "parents": [
            "Economics",
            "Society",
            "Social sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Sciences",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "18 82",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 85",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 90",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "He bought the land on spec — he thinks it's likely to be rezoned commercial and subdivided.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1955 October, Rex Stout, “The Next Witness”, in Three Witnesses, Bantam, published 1994, →ISBN, page 36:",
          "text": "\"Why doubt his guilt?\"\nWolfe's shoulders went up a fraction of an inch, and down again. \"Divination. Contrariety.\"\n\"I see.\" Unger pursed his midget mouth, which didn't need pursing. \"You're shooting at it on spec.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "With the hope of selling it, as opposed to on commission (for hire) or with some other likewise assured outlet for getting paid or reselling."
      ],
      "id": "en-on_spec-en-adv-CioCsT8K",
      "links": [
        [
          "business",
          "business"
        ],
        [
          "reselling",
          "resell#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, business) With the hope of selling it, as opposed to on commission (for hire) or with some other likewise assured outlet for getting paid or reselling."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "25 75",
          "word": "spec home"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "25 75",
          "word": "spec script"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "business"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "on spec"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English abbreviations",
    "English adverbs",
    "English clippings",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English prepositional phrases",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "",
        "3": "on speculation"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of on speculation.",
      "name": "clipping of"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Clipping of on speculation.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "on spec (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "spec home"
    },
    {
      "word": "spec script"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1889, Banjo Paterson, Clancy of the Overflow:",
          "text": "I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better\nKnowledge, sent to where I met him down the Lachlan, years ago,\nHe was shearing when I knew him, so I sent the letter to him,\nJust on spec, addressed as follows, “Clancy, of The Overflow”.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "In hope of success, using one's best guess."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "en:Business"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'm writing an article on spec. I hope some magazine will buy it.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "He bought the land on spec — he thinks it's likely to be rezoned commercial and subdivided.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1955 October, Rex Stout, “The Next Witness”, in Three Witnesses, Bantam, published 1994, →ISBN, page 36:",
          "text": "\"Why doubt his guilt?\"\nWolfe's shoulders went up a fraction of an inch, and down again. \"Divination. Contrariety.\"\n\"I see.\" Unger pursed his midget mouth, which didn't need pursing. \"You're shooting at it on spec.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "With the hope of selling it, as opposed to on commission (for hire) or with some other likewise assured outlet for getting paid or reselling."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "business",
          "business"
        ],
        [
          "reselling",
          "resell#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, business) With the hope of selling it, as opposed to on commission (for hire) or with some other likewise assured outlet for getting paid or reselling."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "business"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "on spec"
}