suspect

Noun · Verb · Adjective
Synonyms: defendantsurmisedistrustmistrustfishyfunnyshadysuspicious

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  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 accusedSynonyms: defendant

Verb (3)

  1. imagine to be the case or true or probable“I suspect he is a fugitive”“I surmised that the butler did it”Synonyms: surmise
  2. regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence inSynonyms: distrustmistrust
  3. hold in suspicion; believe to be guilty“The U.S. suspected Bin Laden as the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks”

Adjective (1)

  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”Synonyms: fishyfunnyshadysuspicious
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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.] [1913 Webster]

Suspect [was] his face, suspect his word also.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]

2.Suspected; distrusted. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

What I can do or offer is suspect.— Milton.[1913 Webster]
Suspect \Sus*pect"\, v. i. To imagine guilt; to have a suspicion or suspicions; to be suspicious. [1913 Webster]

If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Suspect \Sus*pect"\, n. [LL. suspectus. See Suspect, a.]

1.Suspicion. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

So with suspect, with fear and grief, dismayed.— Fairfax.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and therefore men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more.— Bacon.[1913 Webster]
From her hand I could suspect no ill.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

2.To imagine to be guilty, upon slight evidence, or without proof; as, to suspect one of equivocation. [1913 Webster]

3.To hold to be uncertain; to doubt; to mistrust; to distruct; as, to suspect the truth of a story. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

4.To look up to; to respect. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Syn: To mistrust; distrust; surmise; doubt. [1913 Webster]

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