Category:Pause

Pause, n. Etym: [f., fr. L. pausa. See pose.]

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. (mus.)

Defn: a hold. See 4th hold, 7.

Syn. -- stop; cessation; suspension.

Pause Pause, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paused; p. pr. & vb. n. Pausing.] Etym: [cf. F. pauser, l. pausare. See pause, n., Pose.]

1. To make a short stop; to cease for a time; to intermit speaking or Acting; to stop; to wait; to rest. "tarry, pause a day or two." Shak. Pausing 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.] "take time to pause." Shak. To pause upon, to deliberate concerning. Shak.

Syn. -- to intermit; stop; stay; wait; delay; tarry; hesitate; demur.

Pause Pause, v. t.

Defn: to cause to stop or rest; -- used reflexively. [r.] Shak.