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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

sus·pect       (sə-spěkt')  Pronunciation Key  v.   sus·pect·ed, sus·pect·ing, sus·pects v.   tr. To surmise to be true or probable; imagine: I suspect they are very disappointed. To have doubts about; distrust: I suspect his motives. To think (a person) guilty without proof: The police suspect her of murder. v.   intr. To have suspicion. n.   (sŭs'pěkt') One who is suspected, especially of having committed a crime. adj.   (sŭs'pěkt', sə-spěkt') Open to or viewed with suspicion: a suspect policy; suspect motives. [Middle English suspecten, from Old French suspecter, from Latin suspectāre, frequentative of suspicere, to look up at, suspect : su-, sub-, from below; see sub- + specere, to look at; see spek- in Indo-European roots.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
suspect  (adj.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

suspect
adjective
1.	not as expected; "there was something fishy about the accident"; "up to some funny business"; "some definitely queer goings-on"; "a shady deal"; "her motives were suspect"; "suspicious behavior" [syn: fishy]
noun
1.	someone who is under suspicion
2.	a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused [syn: defendant] [ant: complainant]
verb
1.	imagine to be the case or true or probable; "I suspect he is a fugitive"; "I surmised that the butler did it"
2.	regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in [syn: distrust] [ant: bank]
3.	hold in suspicion; believe to be guilty; "The U.S. suspected Bin Laden as the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks"

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: sus·pect
Pronunciation: 's&s-"pekt, s&-'spekt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin suspectus, from past participle of suspicere to look up at, regard with awe, suspect, from sub- sus- up, secretly + specere to look at
: regarded or deserving to be regarded with suspicion or heightened scrutiny

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: sus·pect
Pronunciation: 's&s-"pekt
Function: noun
: a person suspected of a crime; also : a person apprehended for but not yet charged with an offense

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: sus·pect
Pronunciation: s&-'spekt
Function: transitive verb
1 : to imagine (one) to be guilty on slight evidence or without proof
2 : to imagine to exist or be probable suspect abuse>

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Suspect

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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 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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Suspect

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.