SuaviloquyToday’s word

suspicion

Suspicion, n.

Etymology: [OE. suspecioun, OF. souspeçon, F. soupçon, L. suspectio a looking up to, an esteeming highly, suspicion, fr. suspicere to look up, to esteem, to mistrust. The modern form suspicion in English and French is in imitation of L. suspicio mistrust, suspicion. See Suspect, and cf. Suspicious.]

1. The act of suspecting; the imagination or apprehension of the existence of something (esp. something wrong or hurtful) without proof, or upon very slight evidence, or upon no evidence. Suspicions among thoughts are like bats among birds, they ever fly by twilight. Bacon.

2. Slight degree; suggestion; hint. [Colloq.] The features are mild but expressive, with just a suspicion . . . of saturnine or sarcastic humor. A. W. Ward.

Syn. -- Jealousy; distrust; mistrust; diffidence; doubt.

1 other Webster entry under this spelling

Suspicion, v. t.

To view with suspicion; to suspect; to doubt. [Obs. or Low] South.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for suspicion; he lists it under doubt.

Where he writes about it:

Distrust and suspicion apply especially to the motives, character, etc., of others, and are more decidedly adverse than doubt. — from doubt

Synonyms

doubtdisbeliefdistrusthesitancyhesitationincredulityindecisionirresolutionmisgivingperplexityquestionscrupleskepticismsuspenseunbeliefuncertainty

Antonyms

assurancebeliefcertaintyconfidenceconvictiondecisiondeterminationfaithpersuasionresolutionresolve

etymologyWebster’s online