Obs. Also 6–7 -ence. [f. L. suspens-, pa. ppl. stem of suspendĕre to SUSPEND, or ad. med.L. suspensāre (cf. rare OF. suspenser).]
1. trans. To keep in abeyance; to defer.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., xi. 2. This reason dryueth vs now … Streight to your reason, before suspensed.
1626. L. Owen, Spec. Jesuit. (1629), 40. I would aduertise the gentle Reader to suspence his beleefe hereof, till hee haue some more credible witnesse.
2. = dispense with: DISPENSE v. III.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., I. (1879), 98. As light and as easie as this punishment is, it may be, and is daiely dispensed [so ed. 1595; ed. 1585 suspensed] with-all for monie.
1596. R. L[inche], Diella (1877), 69. With sweete mouth’d Pytho I may not suspence.
a. 1600. Deloney, Canaans Calam., Wks. (1912), 450. Perhaps I may take pitty on your case: And graciously withall your faults suspence, And giue you pardon.
So † Suspensed ppl. a. = SUSPENSE a. 1–3; † Suspensing vbl. sb., suspension.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, III. xxxvi. (1893), 226. About the which [spiritual things] scarsly at any tyme we labour or thynke inwardly with suspensynge of our outwarde sensys.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 293. Thus they be in herte and wyll eleuate and suspensed from all thynges in heuen and erth.
1591. Savile, Tacitus, Hist., II. iv. 55. Bringing great comfort to the minds of the armies, and provinces that were suspensed and doubtful.
1594. Carew, Tasso, II. xxii. Suspenst a while and not so sodaine led To wrath.
