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Webster 1913 Edition

Suspend

Sus-pend′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Suspended
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Suspending
.]
[F.
suspendre
, or OF.
souspendre
(where the prefix is L.
subtus
below, from
sub
under), L.
suspendere
,
suspensum
; pref.
sus-
(see
Sub-
) +
pendere
to hang. See
Pedant
, and cf.
Suspense
,
Noun.
]
1.
To attach to something above; to hang;
as, to
suspend
a ball by a thread; to
suspend
a needle by a loadstone
.
2.
To make to depend;
as, God hath
suspended
the promise of eternal life on the condition of obedience and holiness of life
.
[Archaic]
Tillotson.
3.
To cause to cease for a time; to hinder from proceeding; to interrupt; to delay; to stay.
Suspend
your indignation against my brother.
Shakespeare
The guard nor fights nor fies; their fate so near
At once
suspends
their courage and their fear.
Denham.
4.
To hold in an undetermined or undecided state;
as, to
suspend
one’s judgment or opinion
.
Locke.
5.
To debar, or cause to withdraw temporarily, from any privilege, from the execution of an office, from the enjoyment of income, etc.;
as, to
suspend
a student from college; to
suspend
a member of a club.
Good men should not be
suspended
from the exercise of their ministry and deprived of their livelihood for ceremonies which are on all hands acknowledged indifferent.
Bp. Sanderson.
6.
To cause to cease for a time from operation or effect;
as, to
suspend
the habeas corpus act; to
suspend
the rules of a legislative body.
7.
(Chem.)
To support in a liquid, as an insoluble powder, by stirring, to facilitate chemical action.
To suspend payment
(Com.)
,
to cease paying debts or obligations; to fail; – said of a merchant, a bank, etc.
Syn. – To hang; interrupt; delay; intermit; stay; hinder; debar.

Sus-pend′

,
Verb.
I.
To cease from operation or activity; esp., to stop payment, or be unable to meet obligations or engagements (said of a commercial firm or a bank).

Webster 1828 Edition

Suspend

SUSPEND'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. suspendo; sub and pendo, to hang.]
1.
To hang; to attach to something above; as, to suspend a ball by a thread; to suspend the body by a cord or by hooks; a needle suspended by a loadstone.
2.
To make to depend on. God hath suspended the promise of eternal life on the condition of faith and obedience.
3.
To interrupt; to intermit; to cause to cease for a time.
The guard nor fights nor flies; their fate so near
At once suspends their courage and their fear.
4.
To stay; to delay; to hinder from proceeding for a time.
Suspend your indignation against my brother.
I suspend their doom.
5.
To hold in a state undermined; as, to suspend one's choice or opinion.
6.
To debar from any privilege, from the execution of an office, or from the enjoyment of income.
Good men should not be suspended from the exercise of their ministry and deprived of their livelihood for ceremonies which are acknowledged indifferent.
7.
To cause to cease for a time from operation or effect; as, to suspend the habeas corpus act.

Definition 2024

suspend

suspend

English

Verb

suspend ‎(third-person singular simple present suspends, present participle suspending, simple past and past participle suspended)

  1. To halt something temporarily.
    The meeting was suspended for lunch.
    • Shakespeare
      Suspend your indignation against my brother.
    • Denham
      The guard nor fights nor flies; their fate so near / At once suspends their courage and their fear.
  2. To hold in an undetermined or undecided state.
    to suspend one's judgement or one's disbelief
    (Can we find and add a quotation of John Locke to this entry?)
  3. To discontinue or interrupt a function, task, position, or event.
    to suspend a thread of execution in a computer program
  4. To hang freely; underhang.
    to suspend a ball by a thread
  5. To bring a solid substance, usually in powder form, into suspension in a liquid.
  6. (obsolete) To make to depend.
    • Tillotson
      God hath suspended the promise of eternal life on the condition of obedience and holiness of life.
  7. To debar, or cause to withdraw temporarily, from any privilege, from the execution of an office, from the enjoyment of income, etc.
    to suspend a student from college; to suspend a member of a club
    • Bishop Sanderson
      Good men should not be suspended from the exercise of their ministry and deprived of their livelihood for ceremonies which are on all hands acknowledged indifferent.
  8. (chemistry) To support in a liquid, as an insoluble powder, by stirring, to facilitate chemical action.

Antonyms

  • (to halt something temporarily; to discontinue or interrupt a function, task, position, or event): resume

Translations

See also

suspension, suspenders

Anagrams

French

Verb

suspend

  1. third-person singular present indicative of suspendre

Etymology

From Old French sospendre, from Latin suspendere.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɛnd

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