Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
suspense en · ADJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English suspense, suspence, from Anglo-Norman suspens (as in en suspens) and Old French suspens, from Latin suspēnsus.
Meanings
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(not-comparable, obsolete) Held or lifted up; held or prevented from proceeding.
[The great light of day] suspens in heav'n.
1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
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(not-comparable, obsolete) Expressing, or proceeding from, suspense or doubt.
Expectation held his look suspense.
1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Forms
suspense en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English suspense, suspence, from Anglo-Norman suspens (as in en suspens) and Old French suspens, from Latin suspēnsus.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) The condition of being suspended; cessation for a time.
For thee the Fates, severely kind, ordain / A cool suspense from pleasure and from pain; / Thy life a long dead calm of fix'd repose; / No pulse that riots, and no blood that glows.
1717, Alexander Pope, Eloisa to Abelard, lines 249–252; republished in The Complete Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1902, page 113:
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(uncountable, usually) The pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement regarding the outcome or climax of a book, film etc.
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(uncountable, usually) The unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension in an uncertain situation.
Ten days the prophet in suspense remain'd.
1636 (date written), John Denham, “The Destruction of Troy, an Essay upon the Second Book of Virgils Æneis”, in Poems and Translations, with The Sophy, London: […] [John Macock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1668, →OCLC:I believe that, to the young, suspense is the most intolerable suffering. Active misery always brings with it its own power of endurance.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 265–266:
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(uncountable, usually) A temporary cessation of one's right; suspension, as when the rent or other profits of land cease by unity of possession of land and rent.
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(US, uncountable, usually) A deadline.
She sent us that assignment with a suspense of noon tomorrow.
Forms
Deriveds
suspenseful · nonsuspense · suspensive · in suspense · suspense account · suspenseless · suspensory · suspenser
Descendants
suspense · 서스펜스 · suspens
Translations (51)
es angustia (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · de Spannung (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · sw taharuki (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · es suspenso (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · cmn 悬疑 (condition of being suspended) · de (freudige) Erwartung (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · ru напряжённое ожида́ние (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · pl suspens (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · fi jännitys (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · pl suspensja (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · es suspense (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · fi jännitys (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · fr angoisse (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · bg несигурност (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · ar تَوْقِيف (condition of being suspended) · uk напруга (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · fr anxiété (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · tl pagkaalip-ip (condition of being suspended) · oc suspension (condition of being suspended) · fr suspension (condition of being suspended) · de Anspannung (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · ms saspens (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · de (ängstliche) Erwartung (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · de Spannung (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · mi pohopā (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · es suspense (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · fr appréhension (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · oc ànsia (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · es suspensión (condition of being suspended) · fi jännitys (condition of being suspended) · ar إِيقَاف (condition of being suspended) · de (vorübegehende) Unterbrechung (condition of being suspended) · gl suspense (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · de Hängen (condition of being suspended) · ms saspens (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · ru напряже́ние (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · de Aussetzen (condition of being suspended) · bg напрегнатост (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · mi tokopaha (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · it trepidazione (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · uk саспе́нс (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · fr suspense (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · mi poho tārewa (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · bg очакване (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · gl suspense (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · mi tokopā (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · bg временно прекратяване (condition of being suspended) · bg неизвестност (unpleasant emotion of anxiety or apprehension) · ar تَشْوِيق (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · ru саспе́нс (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement) · oc suspens (pleasurable emotion of anticipation and excitement)