From Middle French pause, from Latin pausa, from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis), from Ancient Greek παύω (paúō, “stop”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of pausa.
Meanings
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang) Used immediately after a statement to indicate that there was no innuendo or homosexual meaning intended, especially when such a meaning is a reasonable interpretation.
From Middle French pause, from Latin pausa, from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis), from Ancient Greek παύω (paúō, “stop”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of pausa.
Meanings
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XLV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 374:
A short time for relaxing and doing something else.
(figuratively) Hesitation; suspense; doubt.
to give pause
to take pause
And like a man to double buſsines bound, / I ſtand in pauſe where I ſhall firſt beginne, […] c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
The US House speaker, Mike Johnson, said on Sunday he would have “great pause” about granting a pardon or commutation to Ghislaine Maxwell while another House Republican said it should be considered as part of an effort to obtain more information about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. 2025 July 27, Sam Levine, quoting Mike Johnson, “Mike Johnson would have ‘great pause’ about a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation mark.
Teach the pupil to mind the pauses.
A break or paragraph in writing.
He [Paul] is full of the Matter he treats and writes with Warmth, which uſually neglects Method, and thoſe Partitions and Pauſes which Men educated in the Schools of Rhetoricians uſually obſerve. a. 1705 (date written), [John Locke], “[An Essay for the Understanding of St. Paul’s Epistles, […]]”, in A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for Awnsham and John Churchill, […], published 1707, →OCLC, page xxiii:
A sign indicating continuance of a note or rest.
(alt-of) Alternative letter-case form of Pause (“a button that pauses or resumes something”).
cs pauza (temporary stop or rest) · fi lepoaika (temporary stop or rest) · fi katko (temporary stop or rest) · ko 휴게 (temporary stop or rest) · ota آرالق (temporary stop or rest) · nb pause (temporary stop or rest) · mk пауза (temporary stop or rest) · cy saib (temporary stop or rest) · cmn 暫停 /暂停 (temporary stop or rest) · es pausa (temporary stop or rest) · uk па́вза (temporary stop or rest) · ka შესვენება (temporary stop or rest) · el παύση (temporary stop or rest) · tr teneffüs (temporary stop or rest) · sh о̀дмор (temporary stop or rest) · be прэ́рва (temporary stop or rest) · he אתנח (temporary stop or rest) · sh па̀уза (temporary stop or rest) · ca pausa (temporary stop or rest) · sh ста̑нка (temporary stop or rest) · be па́ўза (temporary stop or rest) · ru переды́шка (temporary stop or rest) · pl pauza (temporary stop or rest) · fa-ira مَکْث (temporary stop or rest) · fi väliaika (temporary stop or rest) · fi keskeytys (temporary stop or rest) · lt pertrauka (temporary stop or rest) · mi okiokinga (temporary stop or rest) · fi pysähdys (temporary stop or rest) · bg междуча́сие (temporary stop or rest) · cs přestávka (temporary stop or rest) · eo paŭzo (temporary stop or rest) · fr pause (temporary stop or rest) · ru переры́в (temporary stop or rest) · sh stȃnka (temporary stop or rest) · ka პაუზა (temporary stop or rest) · pt pausa (temporary stop or rest) · ja 休止 (temporary stop or rest) · ko 멈춤 (temporary stop or rest) · sv vila (temporary stop or rest) · sh òdmor (temporary stop or rest) · pl przerwa (temporary stop or rest) · sk pauza (temporary stop or rest) · hu szünet (temporary stop or rest) · uk па́уза (temporary stop or rest) · ru остано́вка (temporary stop or rest) · de Pause (temporary stop or rest) · txb mauki (temporary stop or rest) · ja 休憩 (temporary stop or rest) · lv pārtraukums (temporary stop or rest) · cmn 停頓 /停顿 (temporary stop or rest) · da pause (temporary stop or rest) · lt pauzė (temporary stop or rest) · izh piätös (temporary stop or rest) · ms jeda (temporary stop or rest) · ko 휴지 (temporary stop or rest) · bg па́уза (temporary stop or rest) · la pausa (temporary stop or rest) · fi tauko (temporary stop or rest) · tr paydos (temporary stop or rest) · tr sekte (temporary stop or rest) · sk prestávka (temporary stop or rest) · ru па́уза (temporary stop or rest) · tr mola (temporary stop or rest) · hy դադար (temporary stop or rest) · ar تَوَقُّف (temporary stop or rest) · ja 中断 (temporary stop or rest) · mi whakamatuatanga (temporary stop or rest) · sl pavza (temporary stop or rest) · sl odmor (temporary stop or rest) · sv paus (temporary stop or rest) · nl pauze (temporary stop or rest) · be перапы́нак (temporary stop or rest) · fa-ira تَوَقُّف (temporary stop or rest) · ro pauză (temporary stop or rest) · ar وَقْف (temporary stop or rest) · it pausa (temporary stop or rest) · et paus (temporary stop or rest) · io pauzo (temporary stop or rest) · uk пере́рва (temporary stop or rest) · sh pàuza (temporary stop or rest) · grc παῦσις (temporary stop or rest)
From Middle French pause, from Latin pausa, from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis), from Ancient Greek παύω (paúō, “stop”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of pausa.
Meanings
(intransitive) To take a temporary rest, take a break for a short period after an effort.
(transitive) To stop (an activity) for a while.
The general public could therefore have been forgiven for thinking that work on the new station had stopped. But pausing work on an active construction site of this size is not straightforward. 2025 February 19, Chris Howe, “Euston: a work in progress”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 44:
(intransitive) To interrupt an activity and wait.
Tarry, pause a day or two. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
When telling the scary story, he paused for effect.
pausing a while thus to herself she mused 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar.’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough![…]What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’ 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 15, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
Will this affect HS2 and other major projects?
[...] Work at the majority of sites has paused, although some staff may be present to ensure the safety and security of these sites and to make safety assessments. [...] 2020 April 8, “Network News: COVID-19: Questions and Answers”, in Rail, page 11:
(intransitive) To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.
Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
(transitive) To halt the play or playback of, temporarily, so that it can be resumed from the same point.
Press Start at any time to pause the game. 2008, “Story Mode”, in Cory in the House: Instruction Booklet, Burbank, California: Disney Interactive Studios; Nintendo, page 9:
to pause a song, a video, or a computer game
(intransitive, obsolete) To consider; to reflect.
Take time to pause. c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
tr durmak (to interrupt something) · jv jedha (to halt playback temporarily) · fi tauota (to interrupt something) · hu megállít (egy kicsit) (to halt playback temporarily) · ru де́лать па́узу (to interrupt something) · pl pauzować (to interrupt something) · ru де́лать переры́в (to take a temporary rest or break) · eo paŭzigi (to halt playback temporarily) · got 𐍈𐌴𐌹𐌻𐌰𐌽 (to take a temporary rest or break) · hi ठहराना (to interrupt something) · jv jeda (to halt playback temporarily) · fi pitää tauko (to take a temporary rest or break) · de innehalten (to interrupt something) · de pausieren (to take a temporary rest or break) · mi whakamatua (to take a temporary rest or break) · hu megpihen (to take a temporary rest or break) · es descansar (to take a temporary rest or break) · sv pausa (to halt playback temporarily) · bg прекъ́сна (to interrupt something) · ja 一時停止 (to halt playback temporarily) · cmn 暫停 /暂停 (to interrupt something) · da pause (to halt playback temporarily) · es interrumpir (to interrupt something) · pt pausar (to interrupt something) · ru сде́лать па́узу (to interrupt something) · pt descansar (to take a temporary rest or break) · ja 中断する (to interrupt something) · hi रोकना (to halt playback temporarily) · eo paŭzi (to interrupt something) · tr durdurmak (to halt playback temporarily) · fr pauser (to interrupt something) · sv pausa (to interrupt something) · ca pausar (to interrupt something) · bg прекъ́свам (to interrupt something) · eo paŭzi (to take a temporary rest or break) · fi laittaa tauolle (to halt playback temporarily) · ru сде́лать переры́в (to take a temporary rest or break) · lt pertraukti (to interrupt something) · hu szüneteltet (to halt playback temporarily) · bg спра (to interrupt something) · pl przerywać (to interrupt something) · ar تَوَقَّفَ (to interrupt something) · mi okioki (to take a temporary rest or break) · hu szünetet tart (to interrupt something) · fi pysähtyä (to interrupt something) · sv vila (to take a temporary rest or break) · fi tauottaa (to interrupt something) · hi रुकना (to take a temporary rest or break) · hi अटकाना (to interrupt something) · id beristirahat (to take a temporary rest or break) · mi okioki (to interrupt something) · fi huilata (to take a temporary rest or break) · hu hatásszünetet tart (to interrupt something) · es parar (to interrupt something) · tr mola vermek (to take a temporary rest or break) · es pausar (to interrupt something) · hi ठहरना (to take a temporary rest or break) · hi रोकना (to interrupt something) · nl pauzeren (to interrupt something) · lv pārtraukt (to interrupt something) · fi pistää tauolle (to halt playback temporarily) · es suspender (to interrupt something) · fi pitää tauko (to interrupt something) · bg пра́вя пауза (to take a temporary rest or break) · bg спи́рам (to interrupt something) · ja 途切れる (to interrupt something) · de pausieren (to halt playback temporarily) · kw hedhi (to interrupt something) · hu megáll (egy kicsit) (to interrupt something) · io pauzar (to interrupt something) · fi keskeyttää (to halt playback temporarily) · fr faire une pause (to interrupt something) · id jeda (to halt playback temporarily) · fr interrompre (to interrupt something) · it mettere in pausa (to interrupt something) · cmn 停頓 /停顿 (to interrupt something) · de pausieren (to interrupt something) · km បង្អង់ (to interrupt something)