suspicion
//səˈspɪʃ.ən//
Forms
- Plural
- suspicions
Definitions
1.The act of suspecting something or someone, especially of something wrong.
- "When it comes to strangers with guns," I told her, "I think suspicion is more likely to keep you alive than trust."
- His unruly hair was slicked down with water, and as Jessamy introduced him to Miss Brindle his face assumed a cherubic innocence which would immediately have aroused the suspicions of anyone who knew him.
2.The condition of being suspected.
3.Uncertainty, doubt.
4.A trace, or slight indication.
- The features are mild but expressive, with just a suspicion[…]of saturnine or sarcastic humor.
- Keep hot for 3 minutes, then turn right side up, polish the top with a suspicion of butter, cut in quarters, and send to table.
Frequency
Overall
Rare· #4325
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
From Middle English suspecioun, borrowed from Latin suspīciō, suspīciōnem, from suspicere, from sub- (“up to”) with specere (“to look at”).
Perhaps partly through the influence of Old French sospeçon (or rather the Anglo-Norman form suspecioun).
Equivalent to suspect + -ion.