Suspect (also suspect, perp, or perpetrator) is a person who has been accused of having committed a crime or offense. The term’suspect’ is used prior to prosecution, and once it begins a suspect is also known as an accused or a defendant. A suspect has the right to be free from unreasonable searches and arrests, according to the 4th Amendment. If the police suspect someone of a crime they must inform them of their Miranda Rights before interrogating them.
The word’suspect’ may be used to describe a person, animal, or thing that is commonly associated with a particular activity, situation, or event, such as the usual suspects: sheep, bunnies, roosters, and goats at the family farm. It can also be used facetiously: ‘I figured the cause of the fire was an insect, but I wasn’t sure.’
There are seven meanings listed for the verb suspect in the OED, four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & Use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. The OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve its definitions. This entry was last updated on 25 October 2013. For more information about this project, please visit our About Us page.
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