state of suspense
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suspense — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ nail biting, unbearable ▪ genuine, real VERB + SUSPENSE ▪ break, spoil ▪ … Collocations dictionary
Suspense — Sus*pense , n. [From F. suspens, a. See {Suspense}, a.] 1. The state of being suspended; specifically, a state of uncertainty and expectation, with anxiety or apprehension; indetermination; indecision; as, the suspense of a person waiting for the … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Suspense account — Suspense Sus*pense , n. [From F. suspens, a. See {Suspense}, a.] 1. The state of being suspended; specifically, a state of uncertainty and expectation, with anxiety or apprehension; indetermination; indecision; as, the suspense of a person… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
suspense — suspense, suspension The two words used to be interchangeable in several meanings, but have since gone their separate ways. Suspense is used primarily to denote ‘a state of anxious uncertainty or expectation’, and is common attributively (i.e.… … Modern English usage
suspense — [sə spens′] n. [ME < MFr suspens, suspense, delay, deferring < ML suspensum < L suspensus, suspended, uncertain, lit., hung up, pp. of suspendere, to SUSPEND] 1. the state of being undecided or undetermined 2. a state of usually anxious… … English World dictionary
suspense — c.1400, not being executed, unfulfilled (of legal matters), from Anglo Fr. suspens (in en suspens in abeyance, c.1300), from O.Fr. suspens act of suspending, from L. suspensus, pp. of suspendere (see SUSPEND (Cf. suspend)). Meaning state of… … Etymology dictionary
suspense — ► NOUN ▪ a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. DERIVATIVES suspenseful adjective. ORIGIN Old French suspens abeyance , from Latin suspendere suspend … English terms dictionary
Suspense — For other uses, see Suspense (disambiguation). Suspense is a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety about the outcome of certain actions, most often referring to an audience s perceptions in a dramatic work. Suspense is not exclusive to fiction,… … Wikipedia
suspense — [[t]səspe̱ns[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT Suspense is a state of excitement or anxiety about something that is going to happen very soon, for example about some news that you are waiting to hear. The suspense over the two remaining hostages ended last night … English dictionary
suspense — suspenseful, adj. /seuh spens /, n. 1. a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety. 2. a state of mental indecision. 3. undecided or… … Universalium
