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Origin and history of suss

suss(v.)

"to figure out, investigate and discover," 1966, earlier "to suspect" (1953, police jargon), a slang shortening of suspect (v.). Sus or suss (n.) is attested from 1936 as "suspicion" (of having committed a crime), generally "suspicious behavior, loitering;" also "a suspect." Related: Sussed.

also from 1966

Entries linking to suss

suspect(v.)

mid-15c., "imagine (someone) to be guilty on slight or no proof; hold to be uncertain, doubt, mistrust," from suspect (adj.) and in part from French suspecter or directly from Latin suspectare "to mistrust," frequentative of suspicere.

In the general sense "imagine to exist, fancy as possible or likely," by 1540s. As "hold to be uncertain, doubt, mistrust" by 1560s. Related: Suspected; suspecting.

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