Pause

Pause, v. t. To cause to stop or rest; -- used reflexively. [R.] Shak.

Pause, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pausing.] [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.

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.

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 (?), n. [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.

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.

6. (Mus.) A hold. See 4th Hold, 7.

Syn. -- Stop; cessation; suspension.