vilo

suspension

noun BEE-loh Rare

Origin: Origin uncertain; possibly from Latin volare (to fly) via a dialectal form.

Usage Note

Vilo is almost exclusively encountered in the fixed phrase en vilo, meaning 'in suspense', 'up in the air', or 'hanging anxiously'. Saying estar en vilo means to be on tenterhooks; tener a alguien en vilo means to keep someone in suspense. As a standalone noun outside this phrase it is rarely used in modern Spanish, so learners can treat it as a fixed expression rather than a productive word.

Examples

"El público estuvo en vilo hasta el final del partido."

Natural Translation

The audience was on tenterhooks until the end of the match.

Literal Translation

The audience was in suspension until the end of the match.

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