suspense

Everyday

1. Suspense is the excited or worried feeling of waiting to find out what will happen next. tree →
2. In stories and films, suspense is the tension a writer builds on purpose so that you want to keep reading. tree →

In the lessons

In English lessons, pupils learn to «build suspense» in their writing: short sentences, cliffhangers, hints of danger, slowing down time, questions in the reader's mind, sounds in the dark. «Keep someone in suspense» means making them wait for news. Suspense is a key idea for mystery, adventure and ghost stories. Phrases: «build suspense», «keep in suspense», «full of suspense», «the suspense is killing me».

Examples

• The story was full of suspense. tree →
• Don't keep me in suspense — who won? tree →
• Short sentences can build suspense. Then silence. A creak. tree →
• The suspense is killing me! tree →
• The film's suspense made us hold our breath. tree →
• The author ends each chapter in suspense with a cliffhanger. tree →
• We waited in suspense for our test results. tree →
• ‘Ah, Princess!’ said the Queen, ‘don’t keep this poor Percinet in suspense any longer. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «a lot of suspense», not «a suspense». Adjective: «suspenseful». Spelled with «-ense», not «-ence». Related to «suspend» (to hang): you are left "hanging". Do not confuse with «suspension» (being sent off from school, or a car's springs).

In Jewish tradition

Hosea says Israel hangs back from turning to God.

Interpretation. Tradition reads this as the problem of repentance, which is hard to begin even when God waits for it.

Examples

• And My people are in suspense about returning to Me; and though they call them upwards, none at all will lift himself up. (Prophets HOS.11.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable: «a lot of suspense», not «a suspense». Adjective: «suspenseful». Spelled with «-ense», not «-ence». Related to «suspend» (to hang): you are left "hanging". Do not confuse with «suspension» (being sent off from school, or a car's springs).