Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Suspect?

\Sus*pect"\, a. [L. suspectus, p. p. of suspicere to look up, admire, esteem, to look at secretly or askance, to mistrust; sub under + specere to look: cf. F. suspect suspected, suspicious. See {Spy}, and cf. {Suspicion}.] 1. Suspicious; inspiring distrust. [Obs.] Suspect [was] his face, suspect his word also. --Chaucer. 2. Suspected; distrusted. [Obs.] What I can do or offer is suspect. --Milton.
\Sus*pect"\, n. [LL. suspectus. See {Suspect}, a.] 1. Suspicion. [Obs.] --Chaucer. So with suspect, with fear and grief, dismayed. --Fairfax. 2. One who, or that which, is suspected; an object of suspicion; -- formerly applied to persons and things; now, only to persons suspected of crime. --Bacon.
\Sus*pect"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Suspected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Suspecting}.] 1. To imagine to exist; to have a slight or vague opinion of the existence of, without proof, and often upon weak evidence or no evidence; to mistrust; to surmise; -- commonly used regarding something unfavorable, hurtful, or wrong; as, to suspect the presence of disease. Nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and therefore men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more. --Bacon. From her hand I could suspect no ill. --Milton. 2. To imagine to be guilty, upon slight evidence, or without proof; as, to suspect one of equivocation. 3. To hold to be uncertain; to doubt; to mistrust; to distruct; as, to suspect the truth of a story. --Addison. 4. To look up to; to respect. [Obs.] Syn: To mistrust; distrust; surmise; doubt.
\Sus*pect"\, v. i. To imagine guilt; to have a suspicion or suspicions; to be suspicious. If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me. --Shak.