suspect

sus|pect1 [ sə`spekt ] verb transitive not usually progressive ***

1. ) to believe that something is true, especially something bad:

Teachers should call social services if they suspect child abuse.

suspect (that): Police suspected that she had some connection with the robbery.

a ) to believe that someone has done something, usually something bad:

suspect someone of something: men suspected of involvement in the bombing

suspect someone of doing something: I suspected Alex of deliberately forgetting her purse.

He wrote a letter naming the people whom he suspected.

b ) to believe that something is bad or worse than it appears:

Carl seemed very kind, but she suspected his motives.

2. ) SPOKEN used for stating an opinion to make it sound less direct:

He'll be missed by some, but not, I suspect, by all his colleagues.

suspect

sus|pect 2 [ `sʌ,spekt ] noun count **

1. ) someone who the police believe may have committed a crime:

Jess had been killed, and her husband was the obvious suspect.

a murder/bombing suspect

2. ) someone or something that is likely to do or cause something, especially something bad:

When plants are ruined, snails and slugs are the chief suspects.

suspect

sus|pect 3 [ `sʌ,spekt ] adjective

1. ) something or someone that is suspect cannot be trusted or believed:

The government's statistics are suspect.

He might have suspect motives in accusing her of malpractice.

2. ) looking dangerous or illegal:

Bomb squad officers were called in to deal with a suspect package.