Main Entry:

sus·pend

Pronunciation:

\sə-ˈspend\

Function:

verb

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French suspendre, from Latin suspendere, from sub-, sus- up + pendere to cause to hang, weigh

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1: to debar temporarily especially from a privilege, office, or function <suspend a student from school>2 a: to cause to stop temporarily <suspend bus service> b: to set aside or make temporarily inoperative <suspend the rules>3: to defer to a later time on specified conditions <suspend sentence>4: to hold in an undetermined or undecided state awaiting further information <suspend judgment> <suspend disbelief>5 a: hang ; especially : to hang so as to be free on all sides except at the point of support <suspend a ball by a thread> b: to keep from falling or sinking by some invisible support (as buoyancy) <dust suspended in the air> c: to put or hold in suspension <suspended sediment>6 a: to keep fixed or lost (as in wonder or contemplation) b: to keep waiting in suspense or indecision7: to hold (a musical note) over into the following chordintransitive verb1: to cease operation temporarily2: to stop payment or fail to meet obligations3: hang

synonyms see defer