51Թ

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View synonyms for

pause

[pawz]

noun

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

    a short pause after each stroke of the oar.

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

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

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

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

    to pause upon a particular point.

    Synonyms: ,

pause

/ ɔː /

verb

  1. to cease an action temporarily; stop

  2. to hesitate; delay

    she replied without pausing

“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

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

“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
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • pausal adjective
  • pauseful adjective
  • pausefully adverb
  • pauseless adjective
  • pauselessly adverb
  • pauser noun
  • pausingly adverb
  • nonpause noun
  • unpausing adjective
  • ˈ貹ܲ adjective
  • ˈ貹ܲ noun
  • ˈ貹ܲԲ noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of pause1

First recorded in 1400–50; (for the noun) Middle English, from Latin pausa, from Greek 貹û “a halt,” from 貹ú(𾱲) “to stop” + -sis -sis; verb derivative of the noun
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of pause1

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly put a pause on that order.

From

At an age where I contemplate my own reproductive future, I am given pause: How can anyone assume there will never be complications in their pregnancy?

From

In the aftermath he paused his studies, but is now back at university doing a physics PHD and campaigns with Grenfell United.

From

Gardner was trembling as she stood before Selna, at times pausing to collect herself, noting that it was tough to “have to stand next to my abuser.”

From

Gen. Rob Bonta wrote on Feb. 5, days into the pause.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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