suspense (n.)

c. 1300, suspenden, "bar or exclude temporarily from some function or privilege;" also "set aside (a law, etc.)" and in a general sense of "cause to cease for a time," from Old French sospendre "remove from office; hang up" (12c.), or directly from Latin suspendere "hang up, kill by hanging; make uncertain, render doubtful; stay, stop, interrupt, set aside temporarily." This is from assimilated form of sub "up from under" (see sub-) + pendere "to hang, cause to hang; weigh" (from PIE root *(s)pen- "to draw, stretch, spin").

In English, the literal, transitive sense of "cause to hang by a support from above" is recorded from mid-15c. The sense of "hold undetermined, refrain from concluding" (of judgments, etc.) is by 1550s. The intransitive meaning "cease from operation for a time, stop" (payments, work, etc.) is from 1570s. Related: Suspended; suspending.

"doubtful and apprehensive about an outcome," 1630s, from suspense + -ful. The modern word might be a 19c. re-formation with a sense of "full of suspense." Related: Suspensefully. Middle English had suspensile for "suspended, elevated;" suspensory for "supporting something hanging from above."