suspension

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: sus=pen=sion

CIDE DICTIONARY

suspension, n. [Cf. F. suspension, L. suspensio arched work, imperfect pronunciation. See Suspend.].

•  The act of suspending, or the state of being suspended; pendency; as, suspension from a hook.  [1913 Webster]
•  Especially, temporary delay, interruption, or cessation  [1913 Webster]
•  A conditional withholding, interruption, or delay; as, the suspension of a payment on the performance of a condition.  [1913 Webster]
•  The state of a solid when its particles are mixed with, but undissolved in, a fluid, and are capable of separation by straining; also, any substance in this state.  [1913 Webster]
•  A keeping of the hearer in doubt and in attentive expectation of what is to follow, or of what is to be the inference or conclusion from the arguments or observations employed.  [1913 Webster]
•  A stay or postponement of execution of a sentence condemnatory by means of letters of suspension granted on application to the lord ordinary.  [1913 Webster]
•  The prolongation of one or more tones of a chord into the chord which follows, thus producing a momentary discord, suspending the concord which the ear expects. Cf. Retardation.  [1913 Webster]

Pleas in suspension (Law), pleas which temporarily abate or suspend a suit. -- Points of suspension (Mech.), the points, as in the axis or beam of a balance, at which the weights act, or from which they are suspended. -- Suspension bridge, a bridge supported by chains, ropes, or wires, which usually pass over high piers or columns at each end, and are secured in the ground beyond. -- Suspension of arms (Mil.), a short truce or cessation of operations agreed on by the commanders of contending armies, as for burying the dead, making proposal for surrender or for peace, etc. -- Suspension scale, a scale in which the platform hangs suspended from the weighing apparatus instead of resting upon it.

Syn. -- Delay; interruption; intermission; stop.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

suspension, n.
1 the act of suspending or the condition of being suspended.
2 the means by which a vehicle is supported on its axles.
3 a substance consisting of particles suspended in a medium.
4 Mus. the prolongation of a note of a chord to form a discord with the following chord.

Idiom

suspension bridge a bridge with a roadway suspended from cables supported by structures at each end.

Etymology

F suspension or L suspensio (as SUSPEND)

THESAURUS

suspension

abandonment, abeyance, abjuration, abjurement, abolishment, abolition, abrogation, adaptation, afterthought, annulment, arrangement, bind, block, blockage, breach, break, breath, breather, breathing place, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time, bureaucratic delay, caesura, cancel, canceling, cancellation, cashiering, cassation, catharsis, cease-fire, cessation, cigarette break, cleansing, clearance, cocktail hour, coffee break, cold storage, concluding, conclusion, conge, countermand, counterorder, danglement, dangling, day off, debarring, deconsecration, defeasance, deferment, defrocking, delay, delayage, delayed reaction, delaying, deliverance, denial, dependence, dependency, deportation, deposal, deposition, deprivation, desistance, detachment, detention, dethronement, disbarment, disbarring, discard, discharge, discontinuance, discontinuation, discrownment, disemployment, disenthronement, disjunction, dismissal, displacement, displacing, disposal, disposition, doldrums, dormancy, double take, downtime, dragging, drop, drumming out, ejection, elimination, emotional release, end, ending, enforced respite, eradication, eviction, exclusion, excommunication, exile, expatriation, expulsion, finish, firing, fissure, forbearance, forced resignation, forced separation, freeing, furloughing, gap, halt, hang-up, hanging, happy hour, harmonization, hesitation, hiatus, hibernation, hindrance, hold-up, holdup, holiday, immobility, impeachment, inaction, inactiveness, inactivity, inertia, instrumentation, interim, interlude, intermezzo, intermission, intermittence, interruption, interval, intonation, invalidation, jam, kicking upstairs, lacuna, lag, lagging, lapse, latency, layoff, letup, liquidation, logjam, lull, modulation, moratorium, motionlessness, nonexercise, nullification, obstruction, orchestration, ostracism, ousting, outlawing, outlawry, overthrow, overthrowal, paperasserie, pause, pendency, pendulosity, pendulousness, pensileness, pensility, pensioning off, period, phrasing, pink slip, postponement, preparation, purgation, purge, purging, quiescence, quiescency, recall, recantation, recess, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, rejection, release, relinquishment, remission, removal, renege, renouncement, renunciation, repeal, reprieve, rescinding, rescindment, rescission, resignation, resolution, respite, rest, retardance, retardation, retirement, retraction, reversal, revocation, revoke, revokement, riddance, setting, setting aside, severance, slow-up, slowdown, slowness, solution, spell, stand-down, stay, stay of execution, stop, stoppage, superannuation, surcease, surplusing, suspense, tea break, termination, the ax, the boot, the bounce, the gate, the sack, ticket, tie-up, time lag, time out, tone painting, transcription, truce, unchurching, underactivity, unfrocking, unseating, vacation, vacatur, voidance, voiding, wait, waiver, waiving, walking papers, withdrawal, write-off

ROGET THESAURUS

suspension

Cessation

N cessation, discontinuance, desistance, desinence, intermission, remission, suspense, suspension, interruption, stop, stopping, closure, stoppage, halt, arrival, pause, rest, lull, respite, truce, drop, interregnum, abeyance, cloture, dead stop, dead stand, dead lock, finis, cerrado, blowout, burnout, meltdown, disintegration, comma, colon, semicolon, period, full stop, end, death, I pause for a reply.

Pendency

N pendency, dependency, suspension, hanging, pedicel, pedicle, peduncle, tail, train, flap, skirt, pigtail, pony tail, pendulum, hangnail peg, knob, button, hook, nail, stud, ring, staple, tenterhook, fastening, spar, horse, pendent, pendulous, pensile, hanging, beetling, jutting over, overhanging, projecting, dependent, suspended, loose, flowing, having a peduncle, pedunculate, tailed, caudate.

Concord

N concord, accord, harmony, symphony, homologue, agreement, sympathy, empathy, response, union, unison, unity, bonds of harmony, peace, unanimity, league, happy family, rapprochement, reunion, amity, alliance, entente cordiale, good understanding, conciliation, peacemaker, intercessor, mediator, concordant, congenial, agreeing, in accord, harmonious, united, cemented, banded together, allied, friendly, fraternal, conciliatory, at one with, of one mind, at peace, in still water, tranquil, with one voice, in concert with, hand in hand, on one's side, commune periculum concordiam parit, melody concord, melody, rhythm, measure, rhyme, pitch, timbre, intonation, tone, scale, gamut, diapason, diatonic chromatic scale, enharmonic scale, key, clef, chords, modulation, temperament, syncope, syncopation, preparation, suspension, resolution, staff, stave, line, space, brace, bar, rest, appoggiato, appoggiatura, acciaccatura, note, musical note, notes of a scale, sharp, flat, natural, high note, low note, interval, semitone, second, third, fourth, diatessaron, breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, sustained note, drone, burden, tonic, key note, leading note, fundamental note, supertonic, mediant, dominant, submediant, subdominant, octave, tetrachord, major key, minor key, major scale, minor scale, major mode, minor mode, passage, phrase, concord, harmony, emmeleia, unison, unisonance, chime, homophony, euphony, euphonism, tonality, consonance, consent, part, harmony, harmonics, thorough-bass, fundamental-bass, counterpoint, faburden, piece of music, composer, harmonist, contrapuntist (musician), harmonious, harmonical, in concord, in tune, in concert, unisonant, concentual, symphonizing, isotonic, homophonous, assonant, ariose, consonant, measured, rhythmical, diatonic, chromatic, enharmonic, melodious, musical, melic, tuneful, tunable, sweet, dulcet, canorous, mellow, mellifluous, soft, clear, clear as a bell, silvery, euphonious, euphonic, euphonical, symphonious, enchanting fine-toned, full-toned, silver-toned, harmoniously, in harmony, as one, the hidden soul of harmony.