pause

[ pawz ]

/ pɔz /

noun

a temporary stop or rest, especially in speech or action: a short pause after each stroke of the oar.

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

any comparatively brief stop, delay, wait, etc.: I would like to make a pause in my talk and continue after lunch.

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.

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

Music. a fermata.

verb (used without object), paused, paus·ing.

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.

to dwell or linger (usually followed by on or upon): to pause upon a particular point.

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What does "scattergood" mean?

a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.

a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully; spendthrift.

a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.

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Idioms for pause

give pause, to cause to hesitate or be unsure, as from surprise or doubt: These frightening statistics give us pause.

Origin of pause

1400–50; (noun) Middle English <Latin pausa<Greek paûsis a halt, equivalent to paú(ein) to stop + -sis-sis; (v.) derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR pause

1-3 suspension, interruption, break, halt; hiatus, lacuna.

7 rest.

8 tarry, delay.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR pause ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM pause

pausal, adjectivepauseful, adjectivepause·ful·ly, adverbpauseless, adjective

pause·less·ly, adverbpauser, nounpaus·ing·ly, adverbnon·pause, nounun·paus·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pause

pause , paws, pores, pours.

Words nearby pause

paupiette, Paur, pauraque, pauropod, Pausanias, pause, Pautrier's microabscess, pav, pavage, pavane, Pavarotti

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for pause

But pause for a second, and look back at what these generations of regulators and lawmakers have created.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After a pause she invited me in with a warm smile, as if I were a neighbor.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I had to pause for sheep crossing the road, which is a common occurrence when driving through the Highlands of Scotland.
A Whisky Connoisseur Remembers That First Sip of The Macallan||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was I think [pause]…a quite evolved relationship, and one that made me very happy.
All Eyes on Anjelica Huston: The Legendary Actress on Love, Abuse, and Jack Nicholson|Alex Suskind|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Meditating could help you pause and think logically before your next big purchase or investment.
Meditation Tips for the Easily Distracted|DailyBurn|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To this, after a pause, Mollie said: She is very charming; Clive finds her very charming.
Christmas Roses and Other Stories|Anne Douglas Sedgwick
"She has a strange assortment of alte Schachteln here," he said, after a pause during which his thoughts were rosy.
The Benefactress|Elizabeth Beauchamp
"I am not nearly as low-spirited as I was," she said after a pause.
The Rebel of the School|Mrs. L. T. Meade
There is a pause at the end of each verse until the chairman starts the company on the next.
Three Men on the Bummel|Jerome K. Jerome
There was a pause, a thrilling, intense pause; and then the confusion of voices.
The Tidal Wave and Other Stories|Ethel May Dell

British Dictionary definitions for pause

pause

/ (pɔːz) /

verb (intr)

to cease an action temporarily; stop

to hesitate; delayshe replied without pausing

noun

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

prosody another word for caesura

Also called: fermata music a continuation of a note or rest beyond its normal lengthUsual symbol:

give pause to to cause to hesitate

Derived forms of pause

pausal, adjectivepauser, nounpausing, noun, adjective

Word Origin for pause

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for pause

pause

[ pôz ]

n.

A temporary stop or cessation.

Idioms and Phrases with pause

pause

see give pause.

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pause

noun

verb (used without object), paused, paus·ing.