suspends

Suspends is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb suspend. It is used across several related meanings that share the core idea of delaying, interrupting, or holding in a suspended state.

One primary sense is to hang something so it is supported from above. In this usage, to suspend an object means to attach it in a way that allows it to hang or be supported without resting on a surface. For example, a lamp may be suspended from a ceiling.

A second meaning is to temporarily stop or delay an activity, process, or service. For instance, a government or organization might suspend operations during a crisis, or a school might suspend classes because of severe weather. In this sense, the action is not permanent but provisional.

A third meaning involves depriving someone of a right, privilege, or position for a period of time. An employee or student can be suspended, pending investigation or disciplinary review, during which typical duties or privileges are paused.

In legal contexts, suspend can refer to postponing or delaying a sentence or the execution of a punishment, rather than carrying it out immediately.

In technology and computing, suspend is used to describe putting a device into a low-power or paused state, where active functioning is briefly halted to conserve energy.

Etymology traces suspend to Latin suspensus, from suspendere “to hang up.” The noun form, suspension, is commonly used to denote the act or state of being suspended, and is related but distinct in usage.