pausenoun
uk/pɔːz/us/pɑːz/B2 [ C ] a short period in which something such as a sound or an activity is stopped before starting again:
[ U ] also pause button [ C ] a button or control that allows you to stop a recording for a short time:
[ C ] UK specialized music a period of silence between musical notes, or a symbol that represents this
[ C ] specialized music a symbol in music meaning that a note or rest should be held for longer than normal
More examples
- After a pause, he gave a careful answer.
- There was a long pause and I wondered what to say next.
- I waited for a pause in the conversation and then asked my question.
- There'll be a brief pause while we change the tapes over.
- After a brief pause for lunch, they continued climbing.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Pauses & interludes
- abeyance
- adjourn
- break
- break-journey
- caesura
- coffee break
- comfort stop
- hiatus
- interlude
- intermission
- interval
- lapse
- lull
- one-stop
- postpone
- respite
- stop
- stoppage
- suspension
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Idiom(s)
pauseverb
uk/pɔːz/us/pɑːz/B1 [ I ] to stop doing something for a short time:
B2 [ I or T ] to make a recording stop for a short time by pressing a button:
More examples
- He paused for a moment to listen and then continued eating.
- He paused at the top of the hill and mopped his brow .
- She paused to light another cigarette and then went on with her account of the accident.
- Without pausing to draw breath she told me everything.
- Pausing briefly to put on her jumper, Becky carried on along the path.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Cancelling and interrupting
- adjourn
- adjourn to somewhere
- arrest
- break
- call
- call sth off
- cancel
- cancellation
- cut
- disturb
- halt
- in midstream idiom
- interrupt
- kick
- kick sth into touch idiom
- midstream
- mothball
- nullify
- shut (sth) off
- stop
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