pause

[ pawz ]

/ pɔz /

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See synonyms for: pause / paused / pausing on Thesaurus.com

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.

SYNONYMS FOR pause

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

7 rest.

8 tarry, delay.

See synonyms for pause on Thesaurus.com

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The verb tenses can be split into which 3 primary categories?

action, linking, and helping

dynamic, static, and auxiliary

past, present, and future

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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

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. 2021

How to use pause in a sentence

The Minnesota Wild, on pause for the past week, announced Thursday that it will reopen for team activities Friday.
NHL adds game-day rapid testing to coronavirus protocols|Samantha Pell|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
The one aspect of this dish that initially gave me pause was the tomatoes, given the time of year.
TikTok’s viral baked feta pasta is worth the hype|Aaron Hutcherson|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
Yes, I of course refer to the SEO industry and yes, you may take a small pause here to go through the above statement to see if it works.
The future of Google and what it means for search|Pete Eckersley|February 5, 2021|Search Engine Watch
Though Smith went 5-1 as a starter, the bone bruise that kept him from starting three of the year’s final four games gave everyone pause.
Finding the right QB is the first — and most crucial — task for Washington’s new front office|Les Carpenter|February 4, 2021|Washington Post

Saint Louis came off a month-plus pause and promptly lost at home to Dayton.
NCAA tournament bracketology: Two No. 1 seeds could go to teams outside power conferences|Patrick Stevens|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
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
According to James Madison, there was “a considerable pause.”
Why We Can’t Quit Calling Presidents ‘Kings’|Kevin Bleyer|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We continuously pause to pull them out while Zalwar Khan and his companion smirk at us and chew unbothered.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After a minute's pause, while he stood painfully silent, she resumed in great emotion.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
In fact, his appearance was so formidable that Davy did not pause for a second look, but started off at the top of his speed.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
There was a pause, during which Blanche went through a little mute exhibition of amazement and pleasure.
Confidence|Henry James
For who, while tears are falling, will pause to handle the wreaths, and find whether they are genuine?
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
There was a moment's pause, and Doa Inez returned into the saloon, which was now beginning rapidly to fill.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various

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.

pause

noun

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

SYNONYMS FOR pause

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Idioms for pause

Origin of pause

OTHER WORDS FROM pause

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pause

Words nearby pause

Words related to pause

How to use pause in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pause

verb (intr)

noun

Derived forms of pause

Word Origin for pause

Medical definitions for pause

n.

Idioms and Phrases with pause