suspend (one's) disbelief

To ignore or look past one's incredulity at the improbability of something that occurs within a piece of fiction in order to better enjoy the experience of the work. I'm more than willing to suspend my disbelief a little for a cheesy action film. I find that I can never really suspend my disbelief when I watch a movie that's crammed full of CGI.

suspend (someone or something) by (something)

To use something as a means of hanging someone or something from an elevated point or fixture. Often used in passive constructions. They suspended me by a safety harness on the end of a cable to grab the young woman from the tree. The airplanes in the diorama were suspended by pieces of fishing line.

suspend from (something)

1. To force one to stop attending or participating in some activity, usually on a temporary basis as a form of punishment. A noun or pronoun is used between "suspend" and "from"; often used in passive constructions. The officer has been suspended from duty while the department investigates his actions. As a result of your actions, I'm afraid we have no choice but to suspend you from school for a week.

2. To cause someone or something to hang from some elevated point or fixture. A noun or pronoun is used between "suspend" and "from"; often used in passive constructions. The performers were suspended from the ceiling during the routine, created quite the impressive spectacle. We can suspend the balloons from the chandelier.

suspend someone from something

to prevent someone from participating in something. (Usually as a form of discipline.) The principal suspended the student from classes for a week. Ted was suspended from school for three days.

suspend someone or something from something

to hang someone or something from something. The hangman suspended the thief from a gibbet as a warning to others. Jill suspended each decoration from a different branch.

suspend something by something

to hang something by something. The workers carefully positioned the stone that was suspended by a steel cable. Will suspended the decoration by a fine thread.

suspend disbelief

To accept as plausible something one knows to be untrue, especially the setting and plot of a drama or fiction so as to allow the appreciation of art.

See also: disbelief, suspend

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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References in periodicals archive

The first is that additional evidence has just been revealed that the suspended CJN refused to declare millions of dollars in his possession.

Removal Of CJN: PDP Suspends Campaign In Protest

The ruling said Arroyo "is ordered suspended from office 'pendent lite' and is directed to cease and desist from performing and/or exercising the functions and duties, as well as receiving and/or enjoying the salaries, benefits, and privileges of her present public position or any other public office or position he may now or hereafter be holding, effective upon notice hereof and continuing for a period of 90 days."

Opposition solon urges House to ignore Sandiganbayan order suspending Arroyo

The remaining 28 licenses were suspended for other traffic offences.

92 driving licences suspended in July

It also found that suspensions were evidence of basic management principles not being followed, at a cost to the NHS of pounds 29m in staff cover - the equivalent of pounds 188,000 for every suspended doctor.

Plea to help suspended doctors

'As soon as I published my tweet, my Twitter account was suspended and no reason was cited for the move,' Yousaf said.

Pakistan approaches Twitter, Facebook over suspension of accounts 'posting in support of Kashmir'

Power supply would remain suspended from 132KV Swabi Grid Station on August 8, 9, 21, 26, 27 and 28 from 08:00am to 02:00pm, resultantly consumers of 11KV Totalai, Nawa Kale, Col Sher Khan, Bamkhel, Paodand, Maniri, Char Bagh, Mandabdar, Rural, Zaida, Sheikh Jana, Swabi City, Khadu Khel, Shah Mansoor feeders would face inconveniences.

Pesco notifies power shutdown for different parts of province

'The suspended teachers were absent from duties in District Musakhail, over inappropriate answers, the department has suspended them.' Secretary Secondary Education TayabLehri added.

Education Department suspends 10 teachers for absenteeism

There were allegations of alleged corruption against the suspended officers.

Three NAB officers suspended for violating code of conduct

Power Supply will remain suspended from 132 KV Peshawar City Grid Station on 17th and 18th April from 9:30AM to 2:30PM, resultantly consumers of 11 KV Baghbanan, Urmer, Phandoo Road 1, Nishtarabad, Zaryab, GulBahar 1, Surezai, Pando Road , Radio Pak, Jagra, Chamkani, ChughalPura, Hashtnagri, Urmer , Lala, ShikandarPura, OPF, Wadpaga 1 2 , Jinnah Medical College feeder will face inconveniences.

Pesco notifies power suspension schedule for parts of KP

Oman Air has suspended 92 flights from March 14-19 following the Public Authority for Civil Aviation's (PACA) directive on grounding all Boeing 737 Max aircraft in the country last week.

OMAN AIR SUSPENDS 92 FLIGHTS TILL MARCH 19

Peshawar -- Power Supply will remain suspended from 132 KV Hayatabad Grid Station on,16 March from 9 AM to 3 PM resultantly consumers of 11 KVShaukatKhanamfeeders will face inconvenience.Power Supply will remain suspended from 132 KV Hayatabad Grid Station on,16,17 March from 9 AM to 3 PM resultantly consumers of 11 KVGreen wood,cellwood,feeders will face inconvenience.Power Supply will remain suspended from 132 KV Jamrud Grid Station on,16,17 March from 9 AM to 3 PM resultantly consumers of 11 KV express 1,2,4,PCB,kidney cerntre,feeders will face inconvenience.

PESCO power shut down

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan was informed that the licenses of 16 pilots and 65 cabin crew members were suspended for holding fake degrees, on Wednesday.

License of 16 pilots, 65 crew members suspended for holding fake degrees, CAA informs SC

ISLAMABAD -- Ministry of Interior has announced that cellular phone and internet services would remain suspended in different parts of the country for today on the eve of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).

Cellular phone, internet services to remain suspended today

Twitter has suspended KTN News account days after the company started removing what it termed as fake followers from some accounts.

Twitter suspends KTN news account