suspensive, a.
(səˈspɛnsɪv)
[ad. med.L. suspensīvus (whence F. suspensif, Pr. suspensiv, It. sospensivo, Sp., Pg. suspensivo), f. suspens-, pa. ppl. stem of suspendĕre to suspend: see -ive.]
† 1. Liable to be suspended or temporarily stopped; intermittent. Obs.
| c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 365 (Quod Venus) Quha maid that caus suspensiue: Quha had power sic Actis to decline? 1792 W. Roberts Looker-on No. 23 (1794) I. 332 The action of bribery being thus suspensive and temporary. |
† 2. Kept undertermined or undecided; subject to doubt. Obs.
| c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 315 This dittay is geuin in sinisterlie: And in the self that point is suspensiue. Ibid. 798, I suppone thir wemen ar Include..For to fulfill the number suspensiue. |
† 3. Liable to be suspended (from office). Obs.
| 1575 Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford (1846) 102 What then shulde haue become off oure church with thies their suspensyve ministers and withe the discipline and all other thinges? 1606 J. Carpenter Solomon's Solace vi. 23 b, Whether his..Maiestie hath holden either of vs or our dealings suspensiue. |
4. Having the power or effect of suspending, deferring, or temporarily stopping the operation of something; involving such suspension; spec. in Law, applied to a condition or obligation of which the operation is suspended until some event takes place.
| a 1623 Swinburne Spousals (1686) 59 That the Verb (Volo) doth of its own nature always import a Will, but sometimes a Will suspensive of that which is to come. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 346 The Law of Nature (which you say is Legislative, and hath a suspensive Power over all human Laws). 1791 State Papers in Ann. Reg. 167* The suspensive refusal of the king is thus expressed—The king will examine. 1818 Colebrooke Obligations i. iii. 10 If the agreement bear, that the obligation shall not presently have effect but remain inoperative until the event be certain, the condition is precedent and suspensive; and the conditional obligation is termed a suspensive one. 1821 Jefferson Autobiog. Writ. 1892 I. 144 Shall the king have a negative on the laws? shall that negative be absolute, or suspensive only? 1822 Ranken Hist. France x. iv. IX. 312 The king..voluntarily declared his preference of the suspensive veto. 1826 G. J. Bell Comm. Laws Scot. (ed. 5) I. 237 Suspensive Conditions are such as suspend the sale and stay the transfer till something be done. 1884 Spectator 9 Aug., A suspensive veto in the Lords means the power to compel the House of Commons to pass every great measure twice over. 1902 A. T. Carter Law Contract 70 This is sometimes called a ‘suspensive’ condition, for it hangs the contract up. |
5. Inclined to suspend one's judgement; undecided in mind; of, pertaining to, characterized by, or in a state of suspense. († rarely predicative.)
| 1614 Jackson Creed iii. xvii §11 The Lord expels not his suspensive rather than diffident admiration with signs and wonders. 1620 Rawlinson Conf. St. Aug. 226 She knew that I was then brought to that suspensive state of mind by his meanes. 1656 Burton's Diary (1828) I. 35 You will not longer..be so suspensive what you shall do with him. 1662 Hibbert Body Div. i. 174 In an unconstant man there is..a doubtful and suspensive life. 1796 F. Burney Camilla ii. xv, A suspensive discomfort inquieted his mind. 1847 Grote Greece ii. xxxvii. IV. 514 That conspicuous characteristic of Grecian philosophy—the antagonist force of suspensive scepticism. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. lxvi, The passion for watching chances—the habitual suspensive poise of the mind. |
b. Of a word, phrase, etc.: Expressing or indicating suspense; keeping the reader or hearer in suspense.
| 1711 J. Greenwood Eng. Gram. i. xxii. 162, I shall there⁓fore divide the Conjunctions into Conjunctions Copulative; into Disjunctive..; into Suspensive, or of doubting; [etc.]. 1836 Gladstone in Morley Life (1903) I. ii. iii. 133 The Duke of Wellington..receives remarks made to him very frequently with no more than ‘Ha’, a convenient, suspensive expression, which acknowledges the arrival of the observation and no more. 1842 Blackw. Mag. LII. 342 We have no long sentences, no careless sentences,..no suspensive sentences. |
6. Characterized by physical suspension. rare.
| 1827 Faraday Chem. Manip. xvii. (1842) 477 If a body is to have a suspensive insulation, then silk thread or cord may be advantageously resorted to. 1872 Daily News 1 Aug., Any position..perpendicular, horizontal, suspensive, or otherwise. |