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DictionarypauseBrief stop
noun / verb

pause

PAWZ/pɔːz/

A temporary stop or the act of stopping briefly.

The runner pauses beside the path to drink some water.

A runner pauses briefly beside a path to sip from a plain water bottle, one foot poised to resume, relaxed rather than exhausted; only runner, bottle and short path strip, no timer or writing.
Etymology
pauseLatinhalt, cease

Latin pausare meant to halt or cease. The English noun described a temporary rest in singing or speaking, the same kind of brief interruption expressed by the verb.

In context

Hoffman Academy8:46
I'd like you to pause the video and see if you can analyze the chords in measures five six and seven.
"Andante" | Piano Lesson

More examples

  • A brief pause interrupted the music.
  • He paused the video to take notes.
  • After a pause, the meeting continued.

Forms

pause · pauses · paused · pausing

Similar words

break
An interruption in activity.
hesitate
Delay briefly through uncertainty.