"suspensory" - Word of the Day from the OED

OED Online Word of the Day

Now available: the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary

This new print publication provides a unique resource for scholars researching linguistic and literary history, the history of the language, social history, and more. Read more and see a sample page.

"An indispensable tool for writers." –School Library Journal.

The updated Second Edition of the Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus is more exceptional than ever, solidifying its place as the one thesaurus writers at all levels will want to have. A perfect graduation gift!

---

suspensory, a. and n.

SECOND EDITION 1989

(sspnsr)  [ad. med.L. *suspensrius (whence F. suspensoire (16th c.), Pr. suspensori, It. sospensorio, Sp., Pg. suspensorio), f. L. suspens-, suspendre: see SUSPENSE and -ORY. As a n., after F. suspensoir(e.] 

    A. adj.    I. 1. Having the function of suspending, i.e. supporting something suspended.    a. Anat. Applied to a ligament, muscle, or other structure, by which some part or organ is suspended.

1541 COPLAND Guydon's Quest. Cyrurg. Iivb, The synew suspensory and sensyfe that descendeth to the genytalles. 1691 RAY Creation II. (1692) 35 To such Beasts as..are forced to hold their Eyes long in a hanging posture,..the seventh or suspensory Muscle is very useful 1831 YOUATT Horse 252 The suspensory ligament is sometimes ruptured by extraordinary exertion. 1839-47 Todd's Cycl. Anat. III. 924/1 The true suspensory ligament is calculated by its position and strength to prevent the surgeon from depressing the penis sufficiently to straighten the urethra. 1872 HUXLEY Physiol. ix. 227 The crystalline lens..is kept in place by a..membranous frame or suspensory ligament.

    b. Surg. Applied to a bandage, bag, sling, or the like, in which a diseased or injured part is suspended for support.

1848 DUNGLISON Med. Lex. (ed. 7), Suspensory Bandage..is a bandage intended to support the scrotum, in cases of diseases of the testicle or of scrotal hernia. 1884 T. BRYANT Pract. Surg. II. 216 If the patient.is unable to keep at rest, the parts must be well supported by a suspensory bandage.

    c. In general sense.

1838 Fraser's Mag. XVII. 680 A tray hanging forward from a body under the suspensory action of two arms. 1883 Harper's Mag. July 930/2 A multitude of suspensory stays of steel wire ropes.

    2. Adapted to be hung up. Obs. rare¹.

a1682 SIR T. BROWNE Tracts ii. (1683) 90 The Crowns and Garlands of the Ancients were..Pensile or Suspensory.

    II.    3. Marked by or indicating mental suspense; doubtful, lacking certainty or assurance.

1611 COTGR., Suspensoire,..suspensorie, in suspence. 1682 SIR T. BROWNE Chr. Mor. II. iii (1716) 50 This moves sober Pens unto suspensory and timorous assertions.

    4. = SUSPENSIVE 4.

1884 Truth 4 Sept. 363/2 The Upper house might be given a suspensory veto on the legislation of the Lower House. 1885 Law Times' Rep. LII. 684/2 The Act..gave a short suspensory period during which actions could be brought that would not fall within the limitations of time enacted. 1893 Times 17 May 9/4 The Welsh Disestablishment party have themselves recognised the futility of endeavouring to proceed..with the Suspensory Bill.

    B. n.
  [The following entry in Blount's Glossogr. 1656, ‘Suspensories,..certain cords or strings (hanging from the Bedstead) for a sick man to take hold of, and bear himself up with, when he would remove or alter his lying’ is a copy of Cotgrave's definition s.v. Suspensoires.]
  Surg. and Anat. A suspensory bandage, ligament, etc. (see A. 1a, b); a suspensorium.

1699 tr. De La Vauguion's Chirurg. Oper. Expl. Figures, Fig. 44. The Suspensory of the Napkin which goes round the Breast. 1706 PHILLIPS (ed. Kersey). 1901 DORLAND Med. Dict. (ed. 2).

To cancel this service, send a message to wotd@oed.com consisting of the text signoff oedwotd-l and leave the subject line blank . Alternatively, use this unsubscribe mail link.

Written requests to unsubscribe may be sent to:

Online Products
Oxford University Press
Great Clarendon Street
Oxford OX2 6DP
UK

Visit the OED's home page at www.oed.com

Copyright © Oxford University Press 2008

Oxford University Press (UK) Disclaimer

This message is confidential. You should not copy it or disclose its contents to anyone. You may use and apply the information for the intended purpose only. OUP does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. Any views or opinions presented are those of the author only and not of OUP. If this email has come to you in error, please delete it, along with any attachments. Please note that OUP may intercept incoming and outgoing email communications.