Suspend Means to Hang
To suspend is to hang something, or to stop it temporarily. Both come from the Latin for hanging, which also gives us suspense.
To suspend is to hang something from above, or to stop it for a time. The Latin *suspendere*, to hang up, connects a suspension bridge, a suspended sentence and *suspense* itself — the last being the feeling of being left hanging. A suspended player and a suspended particle are both held in place, waiting.
- To hang. *Suspended from a cable.*
- To stop temporarily. *Trading was suspended.*
- To exclude temporarily. *The player was suspended.*
- Suspension — the system absorbing bumps in a vehicle. *Soft suspension.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | suspend | Suspend the rules. |
| Past | suspended | Suspended indefinitely. |
| Noun | suspension | A three-match suspension. |
| Noun | suspense | Unbearable suspense. |
| Related | pendant | A silver pendant. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The service is suspended until further notice.Temporary stop.
- He received a suspended sentence.Prison not served unless he offends again.
- Particles remain suspended in the liquid.Chemistry.
The hanging family
- Suspend — hang, or halt temporarily
- Pendant — something hanging
- Pending — hanging, hence awaiting decision
- Pendulum — a hanging weight that swings
- Suspense — being left hanging
From Latin *suspendere*, to hang up, from *sub* and *pendere*, to hang — the same verb as in *depend*, *append* and *expend*.
What is a suspended sentence?
A prison sentence that is not served unless the person commits another offence within a set period.
Are suspense and suspend related?
Yes. Suspense is the state of being left hanging, from the same Latin verb.