| 释义 |
▪ I. suspense, n.|səˈspɛns|
Also 5–9 suspence, 6–7 -ens.
[a. AF., OF. suspens m., in phr. en suspens (Rolls Parlt., an. 1306) in abeyance, or OF. suspense f. deferring, delay, repr. med.L. suspensum (in phr. in suspenso), *suspensa (= suspensio), neut. and fem. of suspensus, pa. pple. of suspendĕre to suspend. (The neut. form is represented also in It. sospeso, Sp., Pg. suspenso.) Cf. the history of defence and offence.]
I.
†1.
a. (Chiefly Law.) in suspense, not being executed, fulfilled, rendered, paid, or the like; esp. to put in suspense, to defer or intermit the execution, payment, etc. of. Obs.
1421Hoccleve Learn to Die 138 Whethir not changed may be this sentence; O lord, may it nat put been in suspense? 1492Rolls of Parlt. VI. 445 That by this same Act..the same Rentes and Services..be not extincted nor put in suspence. 1535Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 9, The same estatutes..shalbe in suspence and not to put in execucion duryng the saide tyme. 1544tr. Littleton's Tenures iii. x. 124 b, The tenaunt for terme of lyfe hath fe in the seruyces, but seruyces be put in suspence durynge his lyfe. 1576Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 522 That the saidis landis..remane in the menetyme in suspens un-mellit or intromettit with be ayther of the saidis partiis. 1628Coke On Litt. 313 Albeit during the couerture the seruices shal be put in suspence. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 186 It was a springing use, resting in suspence during his life.
†b. Hence gen. (a) Temporary cessation, intermission, abeyance; = suspension 2. Obs.
1584S. Cox in Nicolas Life Sir C. Hatton (1847) 396 The long suspense of your favor, hath bred an opinion..that [etc.]. 1588Holy Bull & Crusade Rome 36 Though it were so, that all the same or any of them, did containe any clause contrary to this suspence. 1710Norris Chr. Prud. v. 251 In natural Sleep the senses of the Body are bound up, so that there is a suspense of Sensation. 1717Pope Eloisa to Abelard 250 For thee the fates..ordain A cool suspense from pleasure and from pain. 1783Johnson Let. to Mrs. Thrale 26 Aug., I hope this little journey will afford me at least some suspense of melancholy. 1818Cruise Digest (ed. 2) VI. 552 That though, where a number of years directly constituted the term of suspense, property could not be prevented from vesting absolutely during 25 years, [etc.].
† (b) Deferment, delay. Obs.
c1590Greene Fr. Bacon ix. 204 Edward, I accept thee here, Without suspence, as my adopted sonne. 1602in Moryson Itin. (1617) ii. 252 These vnreasonable Billes haue been looked into (and so some suspence of paiment made). 1712Steele Spect. No. 284 ⁋2 Their whole Time is spent in suspense of the present Moment to the next. a1718Penn Innocency Wks. 1726 I. 266 This short Apology,..which had not been thus long retarded, if an Expectation..had not required a Suspense.
2. The state of being suspended or kept undetermined (chiefly to hold, keep in suspense); hence, the action of suspending one's judgement; = suspension 5.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 99 b, To geue no credit vnto sclaunders,..but to keepe theyr iudgement in suspence, tyll [etc.]. 1594Hooker Eccl. Pol. iv. xiv. §6 Suspence of iudgement and exercise of charitie. 1736Butler Anal. ii. vi. 223 This will afford Matter of Exercise, for religious Suspense and Deliberation. 1794Paley Evid. iii. iv. (1800) II. 314 The miracles did not..so compel assent, as to leave no room for suspense. 1892Westcott Gospel of Life 216 Cases may arise in which it is our duty to hold our judgment in suspense. 1908Westm. Gaz. 16 Jan. 2/2 The plea for a suspense of judgment until the facts are known.
3. a. A state of mental uncertainty, with expectation of or desire for decision, and usually some apprehension or anxiety; the condition of waiting, esp. of being kept waiting, for an expected decision, assurance, or issue; less commonly, a state of uncertainty what to do, indecision: esp. in to keep (or hold) in († great or † a great) suspense.
c1440J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iv. 1838 This putte þe puple in conceytes ful suspens. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 127 Without drede or feare,..suspence & doutfulnes of mynde. 1557N. T. (Genev.) Luke xxiv. 28 note, Christe wolde kepe them in suspens til his tyme came to manifest him self vnto him. 1573G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 15, I praid him..that he wuld not suffer me to go in as great suspens as I cam. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. vi. i, If he..be in suspition, suspence, or any way molested, satisfie his mind. 1671Milton Samson 1569 Suspense in news is torture, speak them out. 1700C. Nesse Antid. Armin. (1827) 58 Men wickedly think that God is such an one as themselves..hanging in pendulous suspences. 1725De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 82 It was no less than four days before our boat came back, so that the poor men were held in great suspense. 1770Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 73/1 An incredible silence reigned among the people, anxious for the event, and lost in suspense. 1823Scott Quentin D. xxii, All stood in a kind of suspense, waiting the event of the orders which the tyrant had issued. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 170 His opinions oscillated in a state of contented suspense between infidelity and popery. 1871Spurgeon Treas. David Ps. lxxxviii. 18 The ear remains in suspense; until the majestic lxxxixth [psalm] shall burst upon it.
†b. in suspense (const. clause, also of): undecided, doubtful, uncertain. Obs.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 8, I stand in suspence whether hir like were euer borne. 1600E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 92 He stoode in suspence where he should passe. 1629H. Burton Truth's Tri. 290 To hold their merchants in suspense of making any sauing trade. 1692Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 141 'Tis certain too that Caesar had his Hazards, but..I'm in suspence whether he was ever much Wounded in all his Wars. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. ix. 230 They were lying upon their oars in suspence what to do.
c. Objectively, as an attribute of affairs, etc.: Doubtfulness, uncertainty, undecidedness. † in suspense: (of a question, etc.) undecided, doubtful.
a1513Fabyan Chron. v. ciii. (1811) 78 Which innaturall batayll hangynge in suspence to whether of theym the victory shulde turne. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 246 Meanynge thereby..in the meane season to let that matter be in suspence. 1593Norden Spec. Brit., M'sex ii. 23 There is a free Schole for the towne, the stipend yet in suspence, the Fishmongers of London contribute twentie pound. 1597Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxii. §8 Leauing this in suspence as a thing not..certainely knowne. 1623Massinger Dk. Milan i. i, It being in suspense on whose fair tent Winged Victory will make her glorious stand. 1741Middleton Cicero I. v. 375 In this suspense of his affairs at Rome. 1815Jane Austen Emma xxxix, Such events are very interesting; but the suspense of them cannot last long. 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §2. 461 The first twenty years of Elizabeth's reign were a period of suspense.
†d. Doubt as to a person's character or conduct. Obs.
1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 140 'Tis my speciall hope, That you will cleare your selfe from all suspence. 1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. 77 Bring you mee a princoks beardlesse boy..to call my name in suspense?
e. attrib. in suspense account (Book-keeping), an account in which items are temporarily entered until their proper place is determined.
1869Bradshaw's Railway Man. XXI. 383 From this was deducted 31,383 l. transferred from suspense account. 1882Bithell Counting-ho. Dict. (1893) 291. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 27 Nov. 11/1 There is the profit of {pstlg}20,178 transferred to reduction of a suspense account.
4. = suspension 8. rare.
1752tr. Rameau's Treat. Mus. 98 The sounds A keep in Suspence those of B, which naturally ought to have been heard. 1885–94R. Bridges Eros & Psyche May xv, Responsive rivalries, that, while they strove, Combined in full harmonious suspense, Entrancing wild desire, then fell at last Lull'd in soft closes.
†5. = suspension 9. Obs. rare.
[1642Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xix.* 120* In a defensive warre, when his countrey is hostilely invaded, 'tis pity but his neck should hang in suspence with his conscience that doubts to fight.] 1722Wollaston Relig. Nat. v. 99 Must clouds be so precipitated, or kept in suspence, as the case of a particular man or two requires? 1727Swift Baucis & Philemon 63 Doom'd ever in suspence to dwell, 'Tis now no kettle, but a bell.
II. Attributive uses and combinations.
6. attrib. Of popular literature, etc.: characterized by the capacity to arouse suspense, excitement, or apprehension, as suspense novel, suspense story, etc.
1952Spectator 3 Oct. 452/2 Many of their ‘suspense’—as opposed to ‘detective’—novels are first-class. 1957S. Beach in This Week's Stories of Mystery & Suspense 327 In the suspense story the focus..is fixed on the effort of a single individual to overcome danger. 1962A. Lurie Love & Friendship xi. 220 It gave him a dissolute, suspense-movie look which Miranda rather liked. 1963Listener 24 Jan. 158/2 Before compressionism could be taken seriously, suspense drama and the literature of confinement had to be brought together. 1972J. Philips Vanishing Senator iii. iii. 150 You said yesterday I should be writing suspense novels. Well, maybe I've read too many of them. 1977Amer. N. & Q. XV. 76/2 Norman Donaldson, an authority on suspense fiction, has written a new introduction for this edition. 1980D. Bloodworth Trapdoor xxix. 175 Enemy agents in suspense thrillers who were programmed by post-hypnotic suggestion.
7. Comb., as suspense-laden adj.
1963Times Lit. Suppl. 24 May 374/4 Les Gommes..was conspicuous for..sharp characterization and suspense-laden plotting. 1964English Studies XLV. 375 My chief reason for favoring four beats is therefore that the atmosphere seems more mysterious, suspense-laden, and, as it were, inhuman with four beats than with three.
▪ II. suˈspense, a. Now rare or Obs.
Also 5–7 suspens, suspence.
[a. OF. suspens-e, or ad. its source L. suspensus, pa. pple. of suspendĕre to suspend.]
†1. Held in contemplation, attentive. (Cf. suspend v. 5 a, suspension 7.) Obs.
c1450J. Capgrave Life St. Gilbert vii, In contemplacion [he was] mor suspense þan oþir men. 1556in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 245 In which talk he held men very suspense. 1582N. T. (Rhem.) Luke xix. 48 All the people was suspense [Vulg. suspensus erat; ἐξεκρέµατο] hearing him.
2. In a state of mental suspense; waiting for the issue; doubtful, uncertain; undecided.
c1440J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. v. 881 Thus haue this folkis at Kataryn taken her leue, Walkyng to chaunbre with hertes ful suspens; Keepyng this mater al clos in sylens. c1450― Life St. Aug. viii, Thus lyued he with suspense mynde, in grete doute. 1546Coverdale Treat. Lord's Supper A vij, Wt indifferent and suspense mynde. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. vi. 34 Whose hart twixt doubtfull feare And feeble hope hung all this while suspence. 1660Milton Free Commw. Wks. 1851 V. 434 While all Minds are suspense with Expectation of a new Assembly. 1667― P.L. ii. 418 Expectation held His look suspence, awaiting who appeer'd To second, or oppose, or undertake The perilous attempt. 1812Cary Dante, Parad. xxviii. 37 The guide beloved Saw me in anxious thought suspense [orig. in cura Forte sospeso]. 1851C. L. Smith tr. Tasso vi. xlix, This people and that other stay suspense At [orig. incerto pende Da] spectacle so horrible and new.
†b. Objectively doubtful or uncertain; undetermined. Obs.
1624Bp. R. Montagu Gagg 64 That leave it so suspence, without distinction. 1657M. Hawke Killing is M. Pref., With his Suspence and involved Questions.
†3. Refraining from hasty decision or action; cautious, deliberate. Obs.
c1510Barclay Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570) B v, To callers importune, of wordes be suspence. 1594Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. ii. §2 The selfe same orders allowed, but yet established in more warie and suspense maner. 1619Hales Gold. Rem. ii. (1673) 97 Private meetings in my Lord Bishops Lodging; where upon Wednesday Morning were drawn certain Theses in very suspense and wary terms. 1684tr. Bonet's Merc. Compit. vi. 155 To proceed, to the great Remedies especially, with a suspense pace and slowly.
4. Hung, hung up, hanging; = suspended 6.
c1440Pallad. on Husb. i. 500 The pament vnderthirled & suspense. Ibid. iii. 679 That they suspence aparti so may stonde. 1610J. Guillim Heraldry iv. xv. (1660) 341 These Shields which we call Armes suspence. 1647H. More Song of Soul ii. iii. iii. xlviii, Those higher stars They may as well in water hang suspense As do the Planets. Ibid., Notes Psychozoia 349 The imaginative operations of Psyche are more high, more hovering and suspense from immersion into the grosser spirits of this body. 1882Symonds Animi Figura 138 Man, The climax of earth's miracle, suspense On the last wave of being.
†b. Of a nose: Turned up. Obs. rare.
1697Evelyn Numism. ix. 297.
†5. Held back, restrained. Obs. rare.
1667Milton P.L. vii. 99 The great Light of Day..suspens in Heav'n Held by thy voice.
▪ III. † suˈspense, v. 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.
1556J. Heywood Spider & F. xi. 2 This reason dryueth vs now..Streight to your reason, before suspensed. 1626L. 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.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abuses 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. 1596R. L[inche] Diella (1877) 68 With sweete mouth'd Pytho I may not suspence. a1600Deloney Canaans Calam. Wks. (1912) 450 Perhaps I may take pitty on your case: And graciously withall your faults suspence, And giue you pardon.
So † suˈspensed ppl. a. = suspense a. 1–3; † suˈspensing vbl. n., suspension.
1502W. Atkynson tr. 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. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 293 Thus they be in herte and wyll eleuate and suspensed from all thynges in heuen and erth. 1591Savile Tacitus, Hist. ii. iv. 55 Bringing great comfort to the minds of the armies, and provinces that were suspensed and doubtful. 1594Carew Tasso ii. xxii, Suspenst a while and not so sodaine led To wrath. |