2
general::
verb believe that sth may happen/be true ADV. strongly | rather I rather suspect they were trying to get rid of me. | rightly, wrongly | all along, always These revelations only prove what I suspected all along. VERB + SUSPECT begin to | have reason to She had no reason to suspect that Sylvia had not been telling the truth. PHRASES be widely suspected It was widely suspected that the cadets had been acting on orders. believe sb is guilty of sth ADV. rightly, wrongly PREP. of He was wrongly suspected of the crime. VERB + SUSPECT have grounds to, have reason to PHRASES have grounds for suspecting sb/sth, noun ADJ. chief, main, number one, prime She has been identified as the prime suspect. | likely, obvious, possible, potential | usual | murder, terrorist VERB + SUSPECT have, identify (sb as) The police have several suspects. | arrest, detain, hold, round up The army rounded up all the usual terrorist suspects. | interrogate, interview, question | release | extradite, hand over PREP. ~ for The letter makes him a possible suspect for her murder. | ~ in Two men were arrested as suspects in the bombing., adj. VERBS be, look, seem, sound | render sth The theory is rendered suspect by its reliance on now discredited sources. ADV. deeply, highly, very Some of the evidence was deeply suspect. | increasingly | a bit, a little, rather, slightly, somewhat | politically the forced adoption of children of politically suspect citizens
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
3
general::
suspect
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + suspect
the prime/chief/main suspect
• She didn’t realise he was the prime suspect in a murder case.
the number one suspect
(= the main suspect )
• I was the one who found her. And that makes me the number one suspect for her murder.
a murder/burglary etc suspect
• The murder suspect is described as in his early 20s, wearing a baseball type cap and a dark jacket.
a possible suspect
• Thr police drew up a list of possible subjects.
verbs
arrest/detain a suspect
• Detectives arrested the suspect after a five-day undercover operation.
question/interrogate/interview a suspect
• Police confirmed that six suspects are being questioned.
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