suspension

[ suh-spen-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of suspending.

   Synonyms: hiatus, abeyance, cessation, discontinuance, interruption, intermission

2. the state of being suspended.

   Synonyms: hiatus, abeyance, cessation, discontinuance, interruption, intermission

3. temporary abrogation or withholding, as of a law, privilege, decision, belief, etc.

   Synonyms: hiatus, abeyance, cessation, discontinuance, interruption, intermission

4. stoppage of payment of debts or claims because of financial inability or insolvency.
5. Chemistry.
   1. the state in which the particles of a substance are mixed with a fluid but are undissolved.
   2. a substance in such a state.
6. Physical Chemistry. a system consisting of small particles kept dispersed by agitation mechanical suspension or by the molecular motion in the surrounding medium colloidal suspension.
7. something on or by which something else is suspended or hung.
8. something that is suspended or hung.
9. Also called suspension system. the arrangement of springs, shock absorbers, hangers, etc., in an automobile, railway car, etc., connecting the wheel-suspension units or axles to the chassis frame.
10. Electricity. a wire, filament, or group of wires by which the conducting part of an instrument or device is suspended.
11. Music.
    1. the prolongation of a tone in one chord into the following chord, usually producing a temporary dissonance.
    2. the tone so prolonged.
12. Rhetoric. the heightening of interest by delay of the main subject or clause, especially by means of a series of parallel preceding elements.

suspension

/ səˈspɛnʃən /

noun

1. an interruption or temporary revocation

   the suspension of a law

2. a temporary debarment, as from position, privilege, etc
3. a deferment, esp of a decision, judgment, etc
4. law
   1. a postponement of execution of a sentence or the deferring of a judgment, etc
   2. a temporary extinguishment of a right or title
5. cessation of payment of business debts, esp as a result of insolvency
6. the act of suspending or the state of being suspended
7. a system of springs, shock absorbers, etc, that supports the body of a wheeled or tracked vehicle and insulates it and its occupants from shocks transmitted by the wheels See also hydraulic suspension
8. a device or structure, usually a wire or spring, that serves to suspend or support something, such as the pendulum of a clock
9. chem a dispersion of fine solid or liquid particles in a fluid, the particles being supported by buoyancy See also colloid
10. the process by which eroded particles of rock are transported in a river
11. music one or more notes of a chord that are prolonged until a subsequent chord is sounded, usually to form a dissonance

suspension

/ sə-spĕn′shən /

1. A mixture in which small particles of a substance are dispersed throughout a gas or liquid. If a suspension is left undisturbed, the particles are likely to settle to the bottom. The particles in a suspension are larger than those in either a colloid or a solution. Muddy water is an example of a suspension.
2. Compare colloid

Other Words From

• nonsus·pension noun
• presus·pension noun
• resus·pension noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of suspension¹

1520–30; < Latin suspēnsiōn- (stem of suspēnsiō ), equivalent to suspēns ( us ) ( suspense ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

But, even given the necessary suspension of disbelief, does it work?

From The Daily Beast

In hindsight, however, he feels that the suspension has “had a positive impact on the fraternal community.”

From The Daily Beast

In essence, they placed a bunch of solar panels in the form of a suspension bridge on top of the lift.

From The Daily Beast

This suspension, Masters said, had been forced upon ARNN by the Dial Global lawsuit.

From The Daily Beast

“This is not a judgment of guilt, nor is it a suspension of any other canonical penalty,” Canary wrote.

From The Daily Beast

Chyloid exudates are milky chiefly from proteids in suspension, or fine dbris from broken-down cells.

From Project Gutenberg

On leaving Conway we crossed the suspension bridge, paying a goodly toll for the privilege.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1850 a suspension bridge at Angers gave way when 487 soldiers were marching over it, and 226 were killed.

From Project Gutenberg

In the suspension bridge iron or steel can be used in its strongest form, namely hard-drawn wire.

From Project Gutenberg

Some suspension bridges have broken down in consequence of the oscillations produced by bodies of men marching in step.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• break
• freeze
• halt
• interruption
• layoff
• moratorium
• period
• postponement
• stoppage
• termination