Category:Suspect

Sus*pect", a. Etym: [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.

Suspect Sus*pect", n. Etym: [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.

Suspect 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 producing 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.

Suspect Sus*pect", v. i.

Defn: to imagine guilt; to have a suspicion or suspicions; to be Suspicious. If i suspect without cause, why then make sport at time. Shak.