a temporary stop, e.g. for rest or thought or inaction
The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes – ah, that is where the genius resides! — Artur Schnabel
the sign denoting a fermata (the lengthening of a musical note or rest)
a break in a line of poetry
a mechanism on a video or tape recorder that enables the tape to be stopped temporarily during playing or recording
give somebody pause
to make somebody hesitate
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come … must give us pause — Shakespeare
[Middle English via Latin pausa from Greek pausis, from pauein to stop]