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suspend Definition

sus·pend (sə spend′)

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.)
  4. to hang by a support from above so as to allow free movement
  5. to hold or keep (dust in the air, particles in a liquid, etc.) in suspension
  6. Now Rare to keep in suspense, wonder, etc.
  7. Music to continue (a note) into the following chord

Etymology: 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

suspend Synonyms

suspend

v.

  1. To debar

    reject, exclude, omit; see bar 2, eject 1, refuse.

  2. To cease temporarily

    postpone, defer, put off, discontinue, adjourn, interrupt, shelve, pigeonhole, table, put aside, set aside, hold off, delay, procrastinate, waive, take a break, recess, prorogue, dissolve, break off, cease, halt, check, stay, stave off, intermit, lay over, keep pending, hold in abeyance, keep in abeyance, put on hold, put on the back burner, put on ice, put on the shelf, back-burner*.

    Antonyms continue*, carry on*, expedite. *

  3. To hang

    dangle, swing, wave; see hang 2.

  4. To cause to hang

    hang up, swing, hook up; see hang 1. See syn. study at exclude.

suspend denotes the breaking off of proceedings, privileges, etc. for a time, sometimes for such an indefinite time as to suggest cancellation to suspend train service, to suspend a sentence; postpone implies the intentional delaying of an action or event until a later time; adjourn is applied to the action of a deliberative body in bringing a session to a close, with the intention of resuming at a later time; prorogue applies esp. to the formal dismissal of the British Parliament by the crown, subject to reassembly; to dissolve an assembly is to terminate it as constituted, so that an election must be held to reconstitute it

suspend Usage Examples

Object

  • disbelief: You don't have to suspend disbelief, everybody knows what it is.
  • ceiling: Another type of ceiling is suspended ceilings which are usually too weak to to fit a pole too.
  • sediment: This is thought to be due to the high quantities of suspended sediments and yellow substances in the Baltic.
  • sentence: He received a two year suspended sentence in April 1998 for inciting racial hatred.
  • animation: Perhaps a kind of suspended animation, yet many pieces being put into place which lay the foundations for a new situation.
  • enrichment: It called for Iran to cooperate more in its investigation and to suspend uranium enrichment.

Preposition: at

  • pm: The Sitting was, by leave, suspended at 12.30 pm.

Adjective complement

  • due: The research was eventually suspended due to lack of funding from Rolls-Royce.

Modifying Another Word

  • temporarily: After a caution a player is temporarily suspended from the match for a period of ten minutes.

Subject

  • wire: Can be mounted directly on a wall or suspended by wire, chain or shackle with no need to use optional brackets.

Present participle complement

  • pend: Further strike action is suspended pending consultation with members via their branches.

Preposition: in

  • mid-air: Many did not like the sitting position or swinging when suspended in mid-air.
  • air: They then remain suspended in the air to be inhaled.

Preposition: from

  • ceiling: A wicker hanging chair suspended from the ceiling was bizarrely about 6ft foot up in the air.
  • ribbon: Worn as crosses, cameos and jewels suspended from ribbons or chains.
  • duty: Dennis is bailed out, but Ann tells him he is suspended from duty.
  • roof: The proscenium arch was built of plywood and suspended from the roof of the hall.
  • beam: Joints of meat are suspended from the ring beam in the smoke to keep the meat free from flies and to season it.

Preposition: for

  • duration: Three parking bays next to the plant room will be suspended for the duration of the contract.

Preposition: by

  • wire: Can be mounted directly on a wall or suspended by wire, chain or shackle with no need to use optional brackets.
suspend Quotes

Ican't act.Ihaveneveracted. And Ishall neveract.What I do is suspend myaudience's power of judgement till I've finished.

—Hardwicke, Sir Cedric

Cowardice, as distinguished from panic, isalmost always simply a lack of ability to suspend the functioning of the imagination.

—Hemingway, Ernest Millar