Suspect, 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. Nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and therefore men should remedy suspicion by producing to know more. Bacon. From her hand I could suspect no ill. Milton.
2. To imagine to be guilty, upon slight evidence, or without proof; as, to suspect one of equivocation.
3. To hold to be uncertain; to doubt; to mistrust; to distruct; as, to suspect the truth of a story. Addison.
4. To look up to; to respect. [Obs.]
1 more senses
Syn. -- To mistrust; distrust; surmise; doubt.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Suspect, a.
1. Suspicious; inspiring distrust. [Obs.] Suspect [was] his face, suspect his word also. Chaucer.
2. Suspected; distrusted. [Obs.] What I can do or offer is suspect. Milton.
Suspect, n.
1. Suspicion. [Obs.] Chaucer. So with suspect, with fear and grief, dismayed. Fairfax.
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.
Suspect, v. i.
To imagine guilt; to have a suspicion or suspicions; to be suspicious. If I suspect without cause, why then make sport at time. Shak.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for suspect; he lists it under doubt.
Where he writes about it:
Distrust may express simply a lack of confidence; as, I distrust my own judgment; or it may be nearly equivalent to suspect; as, I distrusted that man from the start. — from doubt
Mistrust and suspect imply that one is almost assured of positive evil; one may distrust himself or others; he suspects others. — from doubt