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BarbaraPA Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
Suss
Hey guys,
I have a question.
The other day, I used the word "suss" as in "suss out the food situation" (meaning, see what they had to eat at this little event at work) and I realized I had no idea when that word had entered my vocabulary or where it had come from.
Is it some sort of slang for "assess" or does it have a meaning all of its own?
Does anyone know? Does anyone use it?
I have a question.
The other day, I used the word "suss" as in "suss out the food situation" (meaning, see what they had to eat at this little event at work) and I realized I had no idea when that word had entered my vocabulary or where it had come from.
Is it some sort of slang for "assess" or does it have a meaning all of its own?
Does anyone know? Does anyone use it?
Top answer
Hi, I say it. I've always understood it as based loosely on 'suspect' or 'suspicion'. BrE, I'm sure.
- Hi, I say it.
- I've always understood it as based loosely on 'suspect' or 'suspicion'.
- BrE, I'm sure.
- Clive
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5 Answers
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Hi,
I say it.
I've always understood it as based loosely on 'suspect' or 'suspicion'.
BrE, I'm sure.
Clive
I say it.
I've always understood it as based loosely on 'suspect' or 'suspicion'.
BrE, I'm sure.
Clive
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I use it too.
To me though, it is related to working something out, rather than supect.
I need to suss out how to get 7 people to the firm's Christmas lunch today, when the restaurant is in a big local retail area that has NO parking spaces left whatsover after about 10am.
Can you suss out how to open this ****** milk carton?
Do you always use it with 'out'
To me though, it is related to working something out, rather than supect.
I need to suss out how to get 7 people to the firm's Christmas lunch today, when the restaurant is in a big local retail area that has NO parking spaces left whatsover after about 10am.
Can you suss out how to open this ****** milk carton?
Do you always use it with 'out'
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Hi Barbara,
Yes, I sometimes use it too, usually in the expression 'suss out', and as a synonym for 'figure out' or 'work out'.
It's also used in expressions like "I've (finally) sussed it!" meaning "I've (finally) worked it out!"
Not sure whether its origins are in BrE or not, and if it derives from 'suspect' then there's evidently been a transmutation of meaning here.
Yes, I sometimes use it too, usually in the expression 'suss out', and as a synonym for 'figure out' or 'work out'.
It's also used in expressions like "I've (finally) sussed it!" meaning "I've (finally) worked it out!"
Not sure whether its origins are in BrE or not, and if it derives from 'suspect' then there's evidently been a transmutation of meaning here.
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Thanks for your replies - it seems my "suss out" was not used correctly.
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Yes, suss is a commonly used phrase meaning assess. "we're gonna suss out the situation (assess) and see if it's viable (able to be done). In contracting, the word is used a lot. "we're gonna suss out the job and see what's involved. (assess the job).
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