v. Also 3 sos-; 5 pa. t. and pple. suspend(e, pa. t. suspent, 5–6 (9 in sense 10 a) pa. pple. suspent. [a. OF. sus-, sospendre or ad. its source L. suspendĕre (whence also Pr. suspendre, It. sospendere, Sp., Pg. suspender), f. sus-, SUB- ad init. and 25 + pend- to hang.]
I. 1. trans. To debar, usually for a time, from the exercise of a function or enjoyment of a privilege; esp. to deprive (temporarily) of one’s office. Const. from, † of.
c. 1290. Beket, 1713, in S. Eng. Leg., 155. Þe pope him sende lettres … þat he scholde … suspendi þe bischopes þat swuch on-riȝt duden þere.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 79. Þei wolen suspenden pore prestis fro masse & prechynge & alle goddis seruyce.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 5. Þis Odo suspendede kyng Edwynus of Cristendom [Higden a Christianitate suspendit], for he was to fervent in leccherie.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 460. A bisshopp þat suspent a certan preste in his dioces … þis is þe bisshopp þat tuke fro vs our preste & suspend hym.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 236. He suspendyt hom of hor pouer þat þay haddyn in Cristys creatures.
1534. trans. Constit. Otho, in Lyndewode, Constit., 114. That they be suspended both from offyce and also benefyce.
1586–7. Reg. Privy Council Scot., IV. 143. His Hienes and the saidis Lordis hes suspendit … the saidis Maisteris Balcanquell and Williame Watsoun of all … preiching of the Worde.
a. 1628. Preston, Saints Daily Exerc. (1629), 128. They are suspended from receiving the benefit by it.
1687. Wood, Life, 31 May (O.H.S.), III. 221. The vice-chancellor of Cambridge suspended this month for not admitting father Francis M.A. Ibid. (1693), 12 Oct., 432. The society suspended him of his vote.
1699. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 535. Captain Kirk … is suspended his commission in the earl of Oxfords regiment.
1743–4. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 212. I do hereby suspend you from all further Authority in His Majty’s Fleet, till His Majty’s Pleasure shall be known.
1877. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. I. ix. 96. The king had been obliged to suspend the sheriffs in several counties.
1881. Gladstone, Sp. in Ho. Comm., 3 Feb. It becomes my duty to make a Motion for the suspension of the following Members…. I have to move that they be severally suspended from the service of the House during the remainder of the day’s Sitting.
refl. c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 362. Ȝif þei wolden suspende hemsilf fro alle þingis but Goddis lawe.
† b. To debar temporarily from participation in something, presence in a place, etc. Obs.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (verse), 1258. Sche salbe suspend fro þe kirk, Fro mete, & fro al company.
c. 1450. Lydg. & Burgh, Secrees, 2240. Yif he thus offende, Oute of thy presence hym vttirly suspende.
2. To put a stop to, usually for a time; esp. to bring to a (temporary) stop; to intermit the use or exercise of, put in abeyance. Chiefly in passive without implication of a definite agent.
To suspend payment: to cease paying debts or claims on account of financial inability; to become insolvent.
c. 1290. Beket, 856, in S. Eng. Leg., 131. Þo seide þe bischop of wynchestre: ‘sire gilbert, beo stille! We sospendiez swuch conseil, for it nis nouȝt wurth a fille.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 356. Prove he his power bi þis lesse, and suspende assoiling of moneie.
1529. More, Suppl. of Soulys, Wks. 326/1. Though he suffer his mercy to be commonly suspended and tempered with the balaunce of his iustice.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 48 § 1. The same rentis by longe tymes shalbe suspendid and not due to be paid.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 165. The Emperour doeth suspende all suites and actions in the lawe commenced againste the Protestauntes.
1564. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 287. The Lordis of Secreit Counsall suspendis the said Robert Lord Sempillis commissioun abonewrittin.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., Epit. (1612), 355. The Gouernment of the naturall British Kings … was for many yeeres suspended.
1654. Bramhall, Just Vind., ii. (1661), 16. External actual communion may sometimes be suspended … by the just censures of the Church.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 259. The Course of the nourishing Juice being suspended and turn’d aside.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 187, ¶ 5. By dividing his time between the chace and fishery, [he] suspended the miseries of absence and suspicion.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 178. The king … suspended the payment of Peter’s pence.
1777. Priestley, Matter & Sp. (1782), I. v. 56. All power of thinking is suspended during a swoon.
1856. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., I. iv. 138. We may by a powerful effort suspend the action of the respiratory muscles during a limited time.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 217. A motion which seems not to be suspended even in the depth of winter.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., II. xi. 575. The end of a Prize Court is,—to suspend the property which is the subject of prize, till condemnation.
1883. Manch. Exam., 29 Oct., 5/4. The firm had to suspend payment, not from any fault of their own, but from their connection with another firm.
1885. Law Times, LXXX. 111/1. The right of the railway company to suspend the ordinary service of trains on occasions of … exceptional pressure.
1902. W. W. Jacobs, At Sunwich Port, i. 5. My [master’s] certificate has been suspended for six months.
b. To stop or check the action or movement of (something) temporarily; to hold in suspense; † to hold back from.
c. 1450. Godstow Reg., 94. All other every dayes hit shold be lawful to syng j masse with a lowe voyce, and the belle suspended.
1565. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 413. Thair Hienessis is contentit … to suspend thair handis fra all geving.
1569. Underdown, Ovid’s Invect. Ibis, F iiij. As sone as he sawe his chylde lye before him, he draue on the one syde, and suspended hys plough, and so passed without harme to the chylde.
1643. Milton, Divorce, vii. Wks. 1851, IV. 36. Nothing more then disturbance of mind suspends us from approaching God.
1710. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), I. II. ii. 257. The Sublime can no way … bear to be suspended in its impetuous Course.
c. 1750. Collins, On Distant View Richmond Ch., iv. Remembrance oft shall haunt the shore … And oft suspend the dashing oar To bid his gentle spirit rest!
1753. A. Murphy, Gray’s-Inn Jrnl., No. 33. Both their Sensations being too big for Utterance, their Tongues were suspended.
1836. Landor, Pericles & Aspasia, Wks. 1846, II. 373. There is a gloom in deep love as in deep water. There is a silence in it which suspends the foot.
† c. spec. To put a stop to or interdict the use of (a place of worship), esp. temporarily; hence, to profane. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 69. Þei wolen suffre … a chirche or a chirche ȝerde suspendid & no masse seyd þer-inne.
a. 1500. Bale’s Chron., in Six Town Chron. (1911), 120. The first day of July powles chirch was suspent and the v day folowyng halowed ageyn.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings xxiii. 8. He … suspended ye hye places, where the prestes brent incense. Ibid., Acts xxiv. 6. We haue founde this man … a sterer vp of sedicion … & hath taken in hande also to suspende the temple.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Acts x. 38 b. Hytherto neuer eate I anye meate that was suspended, or vncleane [orig. quicquid profanum aut impurium].
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 294. His chaplaines before they wold saye any seruice in their churches,… hallowed them againe … as suspended and polluted with Lutheranisme.
1561. in Maitl. Club Misc., III. 270. Ye Lady College Kyrk … is decernit and Suspendit ane prophane hows.
† d. gen. To put a stop to the use of, interdict; to abrogate. Obs.
1488. in Archaeologia, XLV. 115. viij Pillowes of dyvers coloures, besides other that beth suspent & dampned for bad, as appereth in the parcellis of the suspent wares.
a. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 369. The law positiue, It did suspend, and haldis as detestine.
e. To cause (a law or the like) to be for the time no longer in force; to abrogate or make inoperative temporarily.
1535–6. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 10 § 8. Provided also that this present acte … be … [not] taken to extincte release discharge or suspende any Statute [etc.].
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 183. The decree of Auspurge … he suspendeth.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. xviii. 273. The statutes of mortmain were suspended for twenty years by the statute 1 § 2 P. & M. c. 8.
1787. Constit. U.S., 1. § 9. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when … the public safety may require it.
1842. Macaulay, Ess., Fredr. Gt. (1877), 700. The authority of laws and magistrates had been suspended.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, v. 43. In great danger it was the Senate’s business to suspend the constitution.
f. Of an event, condition, etc.: To bring about or entail the temporary cessation of.
1419. 26 Pol. Poems, 71. Encresyng of temperalte Suspende spiritualte.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, II. iv. (1699), 159. There is no Joy … which can suspend the Grief we suffer from a Finger that is sawing off.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., III. 587. Wonder almost suspends their Happiness.
1793. Beddoes, Math. Evid., p. xiii. Pregnancy suspends consumption.
1805. Med. Jrnl., XIV. 142. When the small-pox appeared first, it did not suspend the measles.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 247. The agitation, which had been suspended by the late changes, speedily became more violent than ever.
1901. Electr. Rev., 27 Sept., 523/2. A breakdown of a trolley wire … temporarily suspended the service [of trams].
g. To cease (for a time) from the execution or performance of; to desist or refrain from, esp. temporarily. † Also absol. Now unusual.
1605. Shaks., Lear, I. ii. 86. If it shall please you to suspend your indignation against my Brother, til you can deriue from him better testimony of his intent.
1629. H. Burton, Babel no Bethel, 69. All saving truthes … must vaile bonnet, and suspend, while Romes Traditions bee serued and obserued.
1715. De Foe, Fam. Instruct. (1841), I. I. vii. 125. Suspend your foolish passion about the fellow.
1769. Burke, Obs. Late St. Nation, Wks. 1842, I. 103. They suspended violence.
1780. Cowper, Nightingale & Glow-worm, 3. A nightingale … Had cheer’d the village with his song, Nor yet at eve his note suspended.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xvi. Men suspended every, even the slightest, external motion.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, i. An old woman … for the moment had suspended her wail to listen. Ibid. (1876), Dan. Der., lviii. These thoughts, which he wanted to master and suspend.
h. intr. for pass. To come to a stop for the time, cease temporarily, intermit, rare.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. 61. Then Jordan, whose streams hitherto suspended, returned into his channell.
1808. Med. Jrnl., XIX. 499. The apoplectic respiration now nearly suspended.
1879. S. C. Bartlett, Egypt to Pal., 459. The rain suspended long enough for us to … get fairly under way.
3. To put off to a later time or occasion; to defer, postpone. Obs. or merged in other senses.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 504. It is … not known what is true, and so the sentence definitiue is suspended.
1581. in Digges, Complete Ambass. (1655), 388. Her M. suspendeth all resolute answers, till she hear from you.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. i. 4. So hath be reserved many things unto his owne resolution, whose determinations … we must with reverence suspend unto that great day.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 202. The old Fryer … thought every day a year that I stayed there, and suspended my Voyage for England.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 18 June 1683. He would certainly enter judgment against them, which hitherto he had suspended.
1742. West, Lett., in Gray’s Poems (1775), 142. Till that first act is over, every body suspends his vote.
1793. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), II. 277. Britain will suspend her blow till she can strike very hard.
Const. inf. (or gerund). 1566. Abp. Parker, Corr. (Parker Soc.), 262. Being informed … that … you suspended to give your furtherance until you had heard our advice.
1581. T. Howell, Deuises (1879), 238. Suspend to deeme the worst,… And poyse eche poynte before you verdit giue.
1672. Earl Essex, in Essex Papers (Camden), 22. If I shall see that … they doe meritt, I will put it in execution, but if not, I will suspend doeing any thing in it.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. vii. (1762), 71. There is no Medium between suspending to act, and immediately acting.
† b. To defer dealing with; to put off consideration of; to pass over for the time; hence gen. to disregard. Obs.
1581. Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., I. (1586), 6. I would … a little suspend these seuerall points, and first intreate of this matter in generall.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 493. A Regall Commission (which partly beeing some-where obeyed, and other-where suspended).
1660. R. Ellsworth in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends, Ser. II. (1911), 121. Their said refuseall, if suspended or conniued att, will cause a general discontent.
1765. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Mass., I. ii. 293. The reason of which … it is better to suspend than too critically to inquire into.
† c. Of an event, etc.: To defer or delay the accomplishment of. Obs.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxi. (1787), II. 309. The divisions of Christianity suspended the ruin of paganism.
1784. Cowper, Task, II. 197. Will thy discovery of the cause Suspend th’ effect, or heal it?
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. II. iii. 253. The bravest efforts of their gallant chiefs could not suspend their destiny.
† d. intr. To be delayed. Obs.
1690. Child, Disc. Trade (1698), 81. Before the use of money falls, which I conclude cannot long suspend.
4. trans. To keep (one’s judgment) undetermined; to refrain from forming (an opinion) or giving (assent) decisively.
† occas. to withhold (assent) from.
1553. Latimer, Serm. Lord’s Prayer, i. (1562), 6 b. We should not be to hastye in beleuynge the tale, but rather suspende oure iudgementes till we know the truth.
1620. T. Granger, Div. Logike, II. iv. In doubtfull things we suspend our assent, and iudgement.
1667. Temple, Lett., Wks. 1731, II. 27. I suspend my Confidence till the Arrival of my English Letters, which are my Gospel in these Cases.
1742. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., IV. 551. He most excuse us if we suspend our belief until we are better satisfied of the Truth of the Facts.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 16. The publick voice suspends its decision.
1791. Hamilton, trans. Berthollet’s Dyeing, I. I. III. ii. 256. On this subject I suspend my opinion.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, i. He felt strongly disposed to believe that his new acquaintance was thoroughly a lady, though a knowledge of life in most European capitals disposed him to suspend his judgment.
† b. absol. To suspend one’s judgment, to be in doubt; hence occas. (with simple obj. or obj. cl.) to doubt; also, to apprehend, suspect. Obs.
1585. Q. Eliz., in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880), 29. I wer out of [my] sences if I shuld not suspend of any hiresay til the answer of your owne action.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., IV. iv. Pardon me, that’s to be suspended, you are too quicke, too apprehensive. Ibid. (1599), Cynthia’s Rev., IV. ii. These ladies are not of that close, and open behauiour, as happily you may suspend.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VI. 248. [They] sayd, heere Diues the rich Glutton dwelt…: this I suspend.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. vi. 102. Many things are … believed of other plants, wherin at least we cannot but suspend.
1656. Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 141. Moses did not suspend that it was to be punished with death. His consultation with God was only about the manner.
1676. Marvell, Mr. Smirke, Wks. (Grosart), IV. 74. Some divines teach us to believe (though I suspend) that God Himself cannot … compel men to believing.
1749. Hartley, Observ. Man, I. Pref. That voluntary Power over our Affections and Actions, by which we deliberate, suspend, and choose.
† c. To hold oneself back or refrain from doing something. Obs. rare.
1598. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 50. Wisshing us to suspend from embracing any other course in that kinde.
1675. M. Clifford, Hum. Reason, 17. Reason will not presently advise us to a change,… but suspend a while and attempt again. Ibid., 89. I must … stand still, that is suspend absolutely from the belief of any Religion.
† 5. a. To keep in a state of mental fixity, attention or contemplation; to rivet the attention of.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 9. To geue ourselues unto such a searching out of God, as may so bolde our witt suspended with admiration [etc.].
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, a 2. Things which delight and wonderfully suspend the minde.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 555. The harmony … Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment The thronging audience.
1671. Woodhead, St. Teresa, II. xi. 91. A Prayer of Quiet in the manner of a Spiritual sleep, which suspends the Soul so, that … we may lose much time.
1744. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., I. 257. The village-matron, round the blazing hearth, Suspends the infant-audience with her tales.
1804. Eugenia de Acton, Tale without Title, I. 224. She sat suspended, till recollecting the box … she started.
1812. Cary, Dante, Parad., XXXII. 81. Whatsoever I had yet beheld, Had not so much suspended me with wonder [orig. Di tanta ammirazion non mi sospese].
† b. To keep in suspense, uncertainty or indecision. Obs. (or dial.)
1603. B. Jonson, Sejanus, IV. v. Thus he leaues the Senate Diuided, and suspended, all vncertaine.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xiii. 39. We were all suspended into divers opinions.
1668. Dryden, Even. Love, Ded. She [sc. Victory] seem’d to suspend her self, and to doubt, before she took her Flight.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 247. My Thoughts were a little suspended, when I had a serious Discourse with the Spaniard.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 158, ¶ 13. The intent of the introduction is to raise expectation, and suspend it.
1798. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), IV. 208. I am entirely suspended as to what is to be expected.
c. 1880. Kirkby (Yorks.) Dial., They were very curious to know the secret but I would not tell them. I suspended them for a whole year.
6. Sc. Law. a. trans. To defer or stay (execution of a sentence) pending its discussion in the Supreme Court. b. intr. To present a bill of suspension: see SUSPENSION 4, and cf. SUSPENDER 3.
1650. Acts of Sederunt, 16 Jan. (1790), 63. The decreittis, registrate bandis, and uther groundis of the letters and charges craved to be suspendit.
1698. in Sir H. Dalrymple, Decisions (1792), 1. Sir John C. having charged the Earl … upon a bond of borrowed money, to pay 1000 l. Sterling, he suspended, and alleged res judicata.
1743. Kames, Decis. Crt. Sess., 1730–52 (1799), 65. Begbie occasionally hearing that his decree was suspended, put up his protestation in common form. Ibid., 70. W. H., being charged for recourse, suspended upon want or due negociation.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., s.v. Suspension, The party complaining commences proceedings by presenting a bill of suspension … his bill concludes, that the … execution in question ought to be suspended, and therefore he prays for letters of suspension.
7. Mus. To prolong (a note of a chord) into the following chord, thus deferring the progression of the part in which it occurs, usually so as to produce a temporary discord.
1853. J. Smith, Treat. Mus., 35. In Example (97) the diminished and minor seventh are suspended.
1867. Macfarren, Harmony (1892), 69. Let us suspend every bass note as the inverted 4th of the chord that follows it.
II. 8. trans. To hang, hang up, by attachment to a support above; = HANG v. 1. Often a technical or affected substitute for hang.)
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 832. And after monethes iij do hem suspende.
1593. Rites of Durham (Surtees, 1842), 34. The iiijth bell remaynes ther still and was never rounge synce yt was suspent.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Suspend..., to hang up or upon.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Suspended, a Philosophical Word for hanged up.
1719. Quincy, Lex. Physico-Med. (1722), Suspended, or Appended, is said of external Remedies, which are wore about the Neck, Wrists, or the like.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 774. The most unfurnish’d with the means of life … overhead Suspend their crazy boxes, planted thick, And watered duly.
1796. J. Jordan, Specif. Patent Bridges (1797), 4. My invention consists in suspending to an arch or arches,… bridges.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., II. 52 (Stage Coach). Hams, tongues, and flitches of bacon, were suspended from the ceiling.
1836. Penny Cycl., VI. 178/2. A collection of pictures … for the present suspended in an apartment at the Pitt press.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 87. Others [sc. rebels] were suspended from the boughs of the oak.
1848. Buckley, Iliad, II. 293. He suspended from his shoulders his silver-studded sword.
1867. trans. C’tess Hahn-Hahn’s Lives Fathers of Desert, 20. The chandeliers suspended from the roof were of silver.
fig. 1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., ii. Punishments actually denounced, and those punishments suspended over us.
† b. intr. = HANG v. 8. Obs.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 16/2. Because that the wounded partes may suspend & hange in the bellye. Ibid. (1599), trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 61/2. Let not this little cloth suspend above thre howers therin.
a. 1687. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Epitaph upon Felton, 1. Here uninter’d suspends … Felton’s dead Earth.
c. trans. To support (something hanging). rare.
1816. Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, iii. (1818), 99. And a silk sash … suspending a ship’s cutlass, finished his costume.
d. To attach so as to allow of movement about the point of attachment; HANG v. 2.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xxiii. (1842), 595. It will, if freely suspended, pass beyond its position of rest to a distance on the left side.
1871. A. Meadows, Man. Midwifery (ed. 2), 299. An index suspended from a cross-bar.
9. fig. To cause to depend; pass. to depend. Const. on, upon (rarely from). Now rare.
1608. Willet, Hexapla Exod., xxxiv. 820. It seemeth by the Hebrew distinction ouer Iehouah, that this word is suspended from the rest which follow, so that eel is one of the epithetes rather … then a proper name of God.
1629. Prynne, Anti-Armin., 83. If our conuersion, saluation, grace, and glorie, are thus suspended on our most impotent … wills, what man can once be saued?
1653. Milton, Hirelings, Wks. 1851, V. 373. That the Magistrate … should take into his own Power the stipendiary maintenance of Church-ministers,… would suspend the Church wholly upon the State.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 11, ¶ 5. The present state of the skies and of the earth, on which plenty and famine are suspended. Ibid. (1759), Rasselas, xxviii. It is dangerous for a man and woman to suspend their fate upon each other, at a time when opinions are fixed [etc.].
1829. S. Taylor, Enthus., x. 278. That the universal prevalence of Christianity … is suspended upon the continuance of missionary zeal.
1844. R. Choate, Addresses (1878), 334. The peculiarity of this election is that while it involves all the questions of mere policy which are ever suspended on the choice of a president [etc.].
† b. To regard as dependent, ‘make’ (a thing) depend, upon. Obs.
1638. Chillingw., Relig. Prot., I. ii. § 60. 79. Your suspending the same [sc. salvation of a baptized infant] on the Baptizer’s intention.
1797. Monthly Mag., III. 260/1. They differed from the above-mentioned theologists and philosophers in this, that the latter suspended every thing from Deity.
10. a. To hold, or cause to be held up, without attachment; = HANG v. 1 d.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. iii. 72. That in the Temple of Serapis there was an iron chariot suspended by Loadstones in the ayre.
1685. Boyle, Enq. Notion Nat., ii. 29. That water kept suspended in a sucking Pump, is not in its natural place.
1846. Browning, Luria, III. 198. The unseen sun above, Which draws and holds suspended all of us, Binds transient mists and vapours into one.
1870. R. R. Coverdale, Poems, 16. A cloud in western skies Suspent, or floating on its way.
1909. C. Keyser in Hibbert Jrnl., Jan., 386. The world of things that are finite is strictly an island-world suspent in a sea.
b. To hold, or cause to be held, in suspension; to contain in the form of particles diffused through its substance, as a fluid medium; to cause to be so diffused (in the medium).
1737. Bracken, Farriery Impr. (1757), II. 277. Spirit of Wine singly is not near so efficacious … as when it contains or Suspends some resinous Substance.
1805. W. Saunders, Min. Waters, 162. There is no more carbonic acid, or scarcely more, than is necessary to keep the lime suspended.
1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., iii. (ed. 2), 244. By suspending the compound of acetylene with subchloride of copper in a solution of ammonia.
1874. Garrod & Baxter, Mat. Med., 115. Fluid Magnesia…. Prepare as above, suspend in water and pass pure carbonic acid gas through it.
1880. Encycl. Brit., XIII. 81/1. Gold and silver inks are writing fluids in which gold and silver,… are suspended in a state of fine division.
