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, paus·ing.

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 or upon ):

   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 calledfermata music a continuation of a note or rest beyond its normal length Usual symbol
4. give pause to
   to cause to hesitate

Derived Forms

• ˈpausal, adjective
• ˈpauser, noun
• ˈpausing, nounadjective

Other Words From

• pausal adjective
• pauseful adjective
• pauseful·ly adverb
• pauseless adjective
• pauseless·ly adverb
• pauser noun
• pausing·ly adverb
• non·pause noun
• un·pausing adjective

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.

More idioms and phrases containing pause

see give pause .

Example Sentences

If trends continue as expected, there will perhaps be a pause in March.

From BBC

I’m going to set you up as soon as you get out of here,’” he says, pausing for a moment.

From Los Angeles Times

Earlier this month, Qatar announced that it had paused its efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and said they would only resume “when the parties show willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war”.

From BBC

The case would be paused anyway after 20 January, when Trump takes the oath of office, he said.

From BBC

“I think a lot of gamers paused the water stage just to Zen out,” said David Lloyd, the founder of the video game music community OC ReMix.

From New York Times

Related Words

• hesitate
• interrupt
• shake
• waver