pause

[pawz]

noun

1. a temporary stop or rest, especially in speech or action.

   a short pause after each stroke of the oar.

   Synonyms: lacuna, hiatus, halt, break, interruption, suspension

2. a cessation of activity because of doubt or uncertainty; a momentary hesitation.

   Synonyms: lacuna, hiatus, halt, break, interruption, suspension

3. any comparatively brief stop, delay, wait, etc..

   I would like to make a pause in my talk and continue after lunch.

   Synonyms: lacuna, hiatus, halt, break, interruption, suspension

4. a break or rest in speaking or reading to emphasize meaning, grammatical relation, metrical division, etc., or in writing or printing by the use of punctuation.

5. Prosody.,  a break or suspension, as a caesura, in a line of verse.

6. Music.,  a fermata.

verb (used without object)

paused, pausing 

1. to make a brief stop or delay; wait; hesitate.

   He paused at the edge of the pool for a moment. I'll pause in my lecture so we can all get some coffee.

   Synonyms: rest

2. to dwell or linger (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to pause upon a particular point.

   Synonyms: delay, tarry

pause

/ pɔːz /

verb

1. to cease an action temporarily; stop

2. to hesitate; delay

   she replied without pausing

noun

1. a temporary stop or rest, esp in speech or action; short break

2. prosody another word for caesura

3. Also called: fermata. music a continuation of a note or rest beyond its normal length

4. to cause to hesitate

Other Word Forms

• pausal adjective
• pauseful adjective
• pausefully adverb
• pauseless adjective
• pauselessly adverb
• pauser noun
• pausingly adverb
• nonpause noun
• unpausing adjective
• pausing noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pause¹

First recorded in 1400–50; (for the noun) Middle English, from Latin pausa, from Greek paûsis “a halt,” from paú(ein) “to stop” + -sis -sis; verb derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pause¹

C15: from Latin pausa pause, from Greek pausis, from pauein to halt

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. give pause, to cause to hesitate or be unsure, as from surprise or doubt.

   These frightening statistics give us pause.

see give pause.

Example Sentences

He paused to allow for some impressed noises from the audience before adding: "We now have 11 members."

From BBC

The timing of the blaze, the threats Goodstein received and the country’s hair-trigger political atmosphere all offered more than a little reason for pause and reflection.

From Los Angeles Times

He pauses before adding, "I'm not very good at explaining why I do things."

From BBC

It is as if they are 'pushing pause' on their lives, so they can avoid the cold, harsh weather and emerge in spring when conditions are better.

From BBC

The Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute are among a coalition that wants to pause the planned roundups for two years and ultimately secure land back to set aside a sanctuary for the horses to roam.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• breathing space 
• halt 
• hesitation 
• hiatus 
• hitch 
• interlude 
• intermission 
• interruption 
• interval 
• lapse 
• layoff 
• letup 
• lull 
• recess 
• respite 
• stoppage 
• suspension