Pause — Defs

01 n. A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.

1.
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
2.
Temporary inaction or waiting; hesitation; suspence; doubt.
“I stand in pause where I shall first begin.” — Shak.
3.
In speaking or reading aloud, a brief arrest or suspension of voice, to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts.
4.
In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation point; as, teach the pupil to mind the pauses.
5.
A break or paragraph in writing.
“He writes with warmth, which usually neglects method, and those partitions and pauses which men educated in schools observe.” — Locke.
6.
A hold. See 4th Hold, 7.(Mus.) See: Hold

Syn. Stop; cessation; suspension.

02 v. i. To make a short stop; to cease for a time; to intermit speaking or acting; to stop; to wait; to rest.

imp. & p. p. Paused; p. pr. & vb. n. Pausing

1.
To make a short stop; to cease for a time; to intermit speaking or acting; to stop; to wait; to rest.
“Pausing a while, thus to herself she mused.” — Milton.
2.
To be intermitted; to cease; as, the music pauses.
3.
To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.[R.]
“Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture.” — Shak.
4.
To stop in order to consider; hence, to consider; to reflect.[R.]

Phrases & compounds

To pause upon — to deliberate concerning.

Syn. To intermit; stop; stay; wait; delay; tarry; hesitate; demur.

03 v. t. To cause to stop or rest; -- used reflexively.