suspend

To suspend is defined as to take away a privilege as punishment, to stop for a period of time or to hang something while still allowing for free movement.

(verb)

  1. An example of to suspend is to take away someone's driver license for drunk driving.
  2. An example of to suspend is to hold off on playing a baseball game until the rain stops.
  3. An example of to suspend is to hang items from a mobile.

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See suspend in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

  1. to bar or exclude as a penalty from an office, school, position, etc., usually for a specified time; debar
  2. to cause to cease or become inoperative for a time; stop temporarily: to suspend train service, to suspend a rule
    1. to defer or hold back (judgment), as until more is known
    2. to hold in abeyance or defer action on (a sentence, etc.)
  3. to hang by a support from above so as to allow free movement
  4. to hold or keep (dust in the air, particles in a liquid, etc.) in suspension
  5. Now Rare to keep in suspense, wonder, etc.
  6. Music to continue (a note) into the following chord

Origin: ME suspenden < OFr suspendre < L suspendere, to hang up < sus-, for sub-, sub- + pendere, to hang: see pend

intransitive verb

  1. to stop temporarily
  2. to withhold payment of debts or obligations, as through inability to pay

See suspend in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb sus·pend·ed, sus·pend·ing, sus·pends
verb, transitive
  1. To bar for a period from a privilege, office, or position, usually as a punishment: suspend a student from school.
  2. To cause to stop for a period; interrupt: suspended the trial.
  3. a. To hold in abeyance; defer: suspend judgment. See Synonyms at defer1.
    b. To render temporarily ineffective: suspend a jail sentence; suspend all parking regulations.
  4. To hang so as to allow free movement: suspended the mobile from the ceiling.
  5. To support or keep from falling without apparent attachment, as by buoyancy: suspend oneself in the water.
verb, intransitive
  1. To cease for a period; delay.
  2. To fail to make payments or meet obligations.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English suspenden

Origin: , from Old French suspendre

Origin: , from Latin suspendere

Origin: : sub-, from below; see sub-

Origin: + pendere, to hang; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots

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