Suspend Meaning
Suspend Definition & Usage
To cause something to be temporarily halted or postponed.
Examples
- "The concert was suspended due to the bad weather."
- "The meeting was suspended after an hour to allow for a break."
- "The flight was suspended because of technical issues."
- "The court session was suspended until further notice."
- "All classes were suspended for the day following the storm."
To hang something or someone from a point above, typically with no contact with the ground.
Examples
- "The chandelier was suspended from the ceiling by thick wires."
- "She suspended her backpack on the hook next to the door."
- "A sign was suspended over the entrance to the theater."
- "The flag was suspended at half-mast to honor the fallen soldiers."
- "The heavy weight was suspended in mid-air as the crane carefully lowered it."
To exclude someone temporarily from a group or organization, often as a disciplinary action.
Examples
- "The player was suspended from the team for violating the rules."
- "He was suspended from school for a week after the incident."
- "The employee was suspended without pay during the investigation."
- "Her membership in the club was suspended after multiple absences."
- "The student was suspended for cheating on the final exam."
Cultural Context
The word 'suspend' originates from the Latin 'suspendere', meaning 'to hang from below'. It has evolved to include both physical and figurative meanings in English, often used in legal, academic, and administrative contexts.
Suspended in Time
Story
Suspended in Time
On a rainy afternoon, Emma found herself walking past a large, imposing building. As she passed under the archway, she stopped, suddenly suspended by a strange feeling. Her thoughts were interrupted by the echo of the city’s usual hustle and bustle, but she couldn’t shake the sensation of having been frozen in time. Just then, she noticed a sign suspended from the wall, announcing a temporary closure of the building due to maintenance. She smiled at the irony — she, too, was temporarily suspended from her usual routine by an unexpected break. In the distance, a banner hung in mid-air, announcing a major conference that had been suspended for an hour due to the incoming storm. Emma continued her walk, her mind drifting. The concept of suspension was everywhere: physical, mental, and emotional. She had once been suspended from work for a minor infraction, and today she was in a kind of voluntary suspension, enjoying a brief respite from her busy life. As the rain eased, she felt a sense of liberation, as if the pause had granted her a fresh perspective on her surroundings. Later that day, she returned home to find her mother reading a letter. It was a notice that one of their neighbors had been suspended from his role in the local council due to a corruption investigation. The irony of it all didn’t escape Emma; life had a way of suspending things when least expected, be it people, activities, or even time itself.
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