- pause
- pause [pôz]n.[ME pawse < MFr pause < L pausa < Gr pausis, a stopping < pauein, to bring to an end < IE base * paus-, to let go > OPrus pausto, wild]1. a short period of inaction; temporary stop, break, or rest, as in speaking or reading2. hesitation; interruption; delay [pursuit without pause]3.a) a stop or break in speaking or reading, which clarifies meaningb) any mark of punctuation indicating this4. Musica) the holding of a tone or rest beyond its written value, at the discretion of the performerb) a sign ·̑ indicating this, written above the note or rest5. Prosody a rhythm break or caesuravi.paused, pausing [Fr pauser < L pausare, to stop < the n.]1. to make a pause; be temporarily inactive; stop; hesitate2. to dwell or linger: with on or upon——————give someone pauseto make someone hesitant or uncertainpausern.
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.