Also 4 suspette, 4–7 suspecte, 6 Sc. suspek. [ad. L. suspectus, pa. pple. of suspicĕre (see next): partly after OF. sospet, later (and mod.F.) suspect = Pr. sospech, It. sospetto, OSp. suspecto, Pg. suspeito.
The present currency of this word is chiefly due to its revived use in connection with the events of the French Revolution (cf. la loi des suspects of 1793).]
A. adj. Suspected; regarded with suspicion or distrust; that is an object of suspicion; in early use also, exciting or deserving suspicion, suspicious.
1340. Ayenb., 205. Behoueþ him beuly þe encheysones of zenne ase speke priueliche to wyfman in stede suspect on wyþ one.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerk’s T., 485. Suspecious was the diffame of this man, Suspect his face, suspect his word also.
1401. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 87. Who is oonis suspect, he is half honged.
1433. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 447/1. Duellyng in a suspect and wycked place.
1535. trans. Brunswyke’s Handywork Surg., xv. D j. Yf ye woundyd persone haue any of these chaunches … it is a suspecte tokyn or sygne.
1525. Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 113. Quhat sumeuer personis that beis suspekit to have ony suspek person within thaim.
1596. Gascoigne, Steele Gl., 242. An age suspect, bycause of youthes misdeedes.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. xxv. § 13. As for … compleatnes in diuinitie it is not to be sought, which makes this course of artificiall diuinitie the more suspecte.
1671. Milton, P. R., II. 399. I see What I can do or offer is suspect.
1702. Guide for Constables, 111. If a scholar in the university … begin to be suspect.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xvii. Shakspeare described the sex in Desdemona As very fair, but yet suspect in fame.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. II. v. (1872), 77. We have him … lying safe in the Prison of Grenoble, since September last, for he had long been suspect!
1880. Fortn. Rev., May, 677. Every doctrine … which claimed an à priori or intuitive character, was therefore suspect.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 431. In tropical regions,… all water should be looked upon as suspect and treated accordingly.
† b. To have or hold (a person or thing) suspect: to be suspicious of, suspect. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 291. Ȝif þou seie þat popis lawe spekiþ oþer wise of jugement, haue þe popis lawe more suspette. Ibid. (c. 1380), Sel. Wks., II. 388. If þei failen in þis point, have hem suspect as fendis children.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1517. Hard is be holden suspect with þe grete: His tale schal be leeued but nat ourys.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 185. Have me not suspecte, I mene no tresone.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xx. 34. Be thow not ane roundar in the nwke, For, gif thow be, men will hald the suspect.
c. 1530. L. Cox, Rhet. (1899), 71. We haue one suspecte that of very lykelyhode it shulde be he that hathe commytted the cryme.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), G iij. Wise men haue hym as suspecte that the commons desyre.
† c. Const. to (north. dial. till) the person suspecting. (Cf. SUSPECT v. 1 b.) Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27325. Þat sco hir saul be sauuand, And noght suspect til hir husband.
1580–1. Reg. Privy Council Scot., III. 347. Quhairthrow he may be suspect judge to thame.
1635. R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., I. 127. This sounded not very pleasingly in the Spaniard’s eares, to whom the power of the French was suspect.
1663. Heath, Flagellum (1672), 6. Stealing the young Pidgeons,… and that so publiquely, that he became dreadfully suspect to all the adjacent Country.
d. Const. of the evil, etc., suspected.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 2. Al þis nouelrie of ordris is suspect of ypocrisie.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., cxxxvii. The remanant … For otheris gilt ar suspect of vntreuth.
1432. Paston Lett., I. 32. Eny persone … suspect of mysgovernance.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., x. 54. Ye may detaine A flie: suspect of crime, not proued plaine.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iii. 317. I fear, of Envie I should be suspect.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. IV. vi. If Suspect of nothing else, you may grow, as came to be a saying, ‘Suspect of being Suspect!’
1912. W. Ward, Life Newman, I. ii. 73. The members of the party were suspect of Romanism.
† e. Const. inf. Obs. rare.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. viii. 6. He held the suspect to be ageynst hym.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 102. Many often tymes are suspecte to speake thynges of malice, or for hope of gaine.
B. sb. 1. A suspected person; one suspected of some offence, evil intention, or the like; a suspicious character, esp. one under surveillance as such.
1591. Lambarde, Eiren., I. iii. 16. A Constable might at the common lawe, haue bailed a suspect of felonie by Obligation.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., IX. xlix. (1612), 226. Recusants and Suspects of note.
1602. Lambarde, Eiren., II. vii. 196. If such Suspect shall refuse to be so bound, then may such Iustice send such Suspect to the next Gaole.
1802. C. James, Milit. Dict., Suspect, a term adopted by the modern French to signify any person suspected of being an enemy, or indifferent to the cause of the Revolution.
1838. Sir J. Stephen, Eccl. Biogr. (1849), II. 210. ‘Relations of peace and amity’ were established between the Intendant and the suspects.
1852. Gladstone, Glean. (1879), IV. 97. If they are in search of a political suspect, and conceive he has absconded.
1881. Daily Tel., 18 June. Arrested as a suspect under the Coercion Act.
1899. R. P. Watson, Mem., 131. Landing here I was treated as a suspect.
† 2. A thing regarded with suspicion. Obs. rare.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Innovations (Arb.), 527. That the Nouelty, though it be not reiected, yet be held for a Suspect.
