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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Suspend, v. P.p. also suspendat, suspandit. [ME and e.m.E. sus-, sospendi(en (c1290), suspende(n (Wyclif), OF sus-, sos-, souspendre (c1120, c1160 and 1314 in Larousse), L. suspendere.]

1. To debar (a person or institution) from exercising a function or enjoying a privilege; to relieve (someone) of (fra, for) an office. Also absol. Also reflex.pres. 1593 Conv. Burghs I 406.
[The commissioners] suspendis the said burgh of Dondie … fra vsing of ony novatioun of customes vpoun … Forfair 1644 Inverness Rec. II 183.
They … depryve and simpliciter suspend the said Alexander … of the office of ane burges and frieman 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 17 Dec.
Fynes William Corbie … and suspendis him from vsing any priviledge as ane burgesp.t. c1420 Wynt. vii 1601.
[The Pope] thame suspendyt fra benyfyis And fra all othir kyn offysp.p. 14.. Acts I 33/2.
Quhat woman that wil brew ale to sell sall brew al the yhere thruch … and gif scho dois nocht scho sal be suspendyt of hir office be the space of a yhere and a day 1485 Acts II 172/1.
He to be suspendit fra the vsing of the office of ferying for all the dais of his life 1493 Acta Aud. 172/2.
He … renuncis all priuilege of alienatioune therof and grantit him to be interditit and suspendit therfra 1576 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 377.
Hyreling smaikes, who are but suspended [sc. from the ministry] therefor for a while 1586–7 Reg. Privy C. IV 143.
His Hienes and the saidis Lordis hes suspendit … the saidis maisteris … of all … preiching of the Worde 1646 Gillespie Aarons Rod Blossoming Table of Contents.
That all uncleane persons were not suspended from all ordinances 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 2.
The said Patrik was suspendit from his office of clerkschippe 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 23 Dec.
Ordained to be suspendit from the sacrament, and acknowledge his offens 1653 Inverness Rec. II 208.
The counsell, for his misdemeinour and uncivill carriage, hath suspendit, and be thir presentis suspendis him, from the office of his being bailliereflex. 1522 Montgomery Mem. 94.
To cum … befor my Lord of Levinax, his ourlord, and thair suspend him self … fra all alienatioun of the saidis landisabsol. 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 76.
The Lady College kyrk upon the hewch is decernit suspendit, and ane prophane hows, and sa to be haldyn in tym cuming

b. To debar from access to a place, or from participation in a gathering. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 99 (Asl.).
War in a king sic disposicioun kend That he wald … fra his court and counsall … suspend Tham that ar knawin corrupparis of iustice

2. In legal usage: To suspend, usu. for a time, (the execution of) a writ, warrant, etc. (upon (= with regard to, in favour of) the person to whom it applies). Also with specification of the period of suspension. Also const. infin.(1) 1491 Acta Conc. I 198/2.
The lordis vnderstandis that the said lettrez ar nocht gevin according to the forme of the said decrett and therfor decernis and declaris the said lettre[z] of nain avale and suspendis the sammyn 1496 Acta Conc. II 25.
The saidis Lords … suspendis the proces past apone the sade erle 1496 Acta Conc. II 36.
And he compere nocht the sade day and bring with him the saidis letteris thai wil suspend the executione of thame simpliciter that day c1500 Harl. MS 4700 278b.
Sen the writ in law vsit and apprevit suspendis and forbiddis this breif of mortancestry to pas apoun ony tennend infeft be the king 1518–19 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 140.
The lordis … suspendis the lettres purchest be the said erle of Cathnes for souirte and lawborowis to be takin of the erlis of Huntlie, Suthirland [etc.] 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 287.
The Lordis of Secreit Counsall suspendis the said Robert Lord Sempillis commissioun abonewrittin 1573–4 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 76.
Item for letters to suspend [pr. suppend] Henry Campbells letters rasit wpoun the provest 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 28.
We haif suspendit and be the tenor heirof suspendis all our saids utheris letters 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 12.
In order that the same [sc. letters of horning] might be suspended simpliciter 1622-6 Bisset I 268/1.
Quhilkis letteres sall nawyise be suspended without payment or at the leist consignatioun of the summe 1622-6 Bisset I 271/3.
Næ inferiour iudge … may suspend the decreit gevin be him self(2) 1563–4 Reg. Privy C. I 255.
The saidis lettres and proces of horne contenit thairin aucht and suld be suspendit upoun the said James 1573 Ayr Chart. 110.
The … proces of oure horne contenit thairintill [to] be suspendit simpliciter upoun the saidis complenaris 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 36.
Suspendat(3) 1502 Acta Conc. III 177.
That the execucione of our soverane lordis lettres til be rasit apone thaim … be suspendit quhil thair hamecummyn furth of Denmark 1522 Acta Conc. MS XXXIII 3.
Swa we maye haif the said capcion suspendit for the space of thua yeris 1570–1 Canongate Ct. Bk. 311.
Suspendand alwayis the poinding for the said byrun annuell … quhill the said Robert … mak new instance thairto 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 35.
The saids letters and executioun thairrof aucht and suld be suspendit upone us as of befoir unto the said tent day of Maii nixtocum

b. To abrogate or annul a law, or a clause in a legal deed (also, upoun someone); to lift, cancel (a sentence).(1) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 369.
The law positiue, It did suspend, and haldis as detestiue 1593 Ayr Chart. 119.
The foirsaid claus irritant maid for expyreing of the said infeftment … salbe suspendit upoun the saidis airis [etc.] … during all the tyme of thair minoritie(2) 1490 Irland Mir. I 115/2.
Bot eftir that Eȝechias turnit him in prayere and repentaunce, and plesit my fadere, he suspendit his sentens, for it was nocht absolute bot condicionale 1490 Irland Mir. I 115/6.
Quhen mene sessis of syn and turnys to repentaunce, oure mychtty fader suspendis and reuokis his hevy and bitter sentens

c. To present a bill of suspension, delaying execution of a sentence (esp. for debt), absol., or with noun clause in apposition.(1) 1642 Aberd. Council Lett. II 309.
Birsmore … being willing to have suspendit on multiple poinding as being trublit by the good toune and the colledge and us to have had it discussit quhom to he should pay 1676 Lauder Notices Affairs I 104.
Patrick Wischeart [pr. Wiseheart] … pershues the comisars … for payment [etc.] … they suspend on double poinding, against him and Mr. Alexander Young 1688 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 441.
The provost … persews the said Robert and his curators for payment [of] 20 lb sterling the yeir. Whereupon this decreet being charged, he suspends, vpon this reason, that a person in the toune of Air will be boardit for 10 lb in the yeir and that he is so boardit at present(2) 1692 Fountainhall Decis. I 519.
Sir James Douglas … having charged Captain Andrew Martin … to fulfil a minute whereby he was to pay £40,000 Scots for the lands of Pilrig; and he suspending, that the minute was imprestable for want of a sufficient progress and security of the lands, and so null 1697 Fountainhall Decis. I 808.
[They] charge William Panton writer for 1000 merks contained in his bond. He suspends, that the bairns not having chosen their curators, there was none authorised to give him a valid discharge

3. To delay or put off until a later date (an action, more generally, or the functioning of a body, etc.). Also absol. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 493.
A regall commission (which partly beeing some-where obeyed, and other-where suspended) 1633 Galloway P. 15 Oct.
He hes suspendit and be thir presents suspends all repeyment … for the space of thrie ȝeiris 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 23 Dec.
For which her censure is suspended at quindenum till some signes of her repentance appeare a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 738.
The actual and final shutting him and them up (for there are many devils) is suspended till the end comeabsol. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 225.
I … am content to suspend and frist glory whill supper-time

4. To suspend (another's) purpos, mind, to deflect or dissuade (another) from a proposed course of action. 1531 Bell. Boece I 205.
He na thing suspendit thair purpos, bot with large promes tyistit thaim mair to the samin 1531 Bell. Boece II 298.
He schew his vision to Alkwine, his confessour; and he na thing suspendit his gud mind, bot erar inflammit him with maist fervent devotion thairto [sc. to build an abbey]

b. To stop or check the action of (something). 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 412.
That the mouthis of unsaciabill askaris sal be stoppit … thair Hienessis is contentit … to suspend thair handis fra all geving, granting [etc.] … of ony … portioun of thair Hienessis propirtie foirsaid

c. specif. To close down, interdict the use of (a church or churchyard); to deny access to for religious purposes. 1549 Soc. Ant. XI 89.
For violent handis putting on schir Alexander Mernis his awn curat within sanctuarii of the Kirk of Wyk … be the quhilk violence the kirk and kirkyard thairof wes suspandit within the said erlis boundis within twa mylis to his principale place of Gernego

d. absol. To cease, desist from (an action). 1668 Cramond Ch. Deskford 25 Sept.
The minister … reported that he had been about the giving of communione … but by reason off ane scandalous pley & horrid murther had fallen out among his people he was necessitate to suspend for the tyme

5. To hesitate to agree to (an assertion); to doubt. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 248.
[They] sayd, heere Diues the rich glutton dwelt … : this I suspend