a temporary stop or rest, esp. in speech or action

a short pause after each stroke of the oar.

a cessation of activity because of doubt or uncertainty; a momentary hesitation.

any comparatively brief stop, delay, wait, etc.

I would like to make a pause in my talk and continue after lunch.

a break or rest in speaking or reading to emphasize meaning, grammatical relation, metrical division, etc., or in writing or printing by the use of punctuation.

Prosody . a break or suspension, as a caesura, in a line of verse.

Music . a fermata.

to make a brief stop or delay; wait; hesitate

He paused at the edge of the pool for a moment. I'll pause in my lecture so we can all get some coffee.

to dwell or linger (usually fol. by on or upon )

to pause upon a particular point.

give pause, to cause to hesitate or be unsure

as from surprise or doubt

These frightening statistics give us pause.

noun

continuation , persistence

verb

continue , persist , restart

noun

abeyance , break , break-off , breathing space * , breathing spell , caesura , cessation , coffee break , comma * , cutoff , deadlock , discontinuance , downtime * , freeze * , gap , gridlock * , halt , happy hour * , hesitancy , hesitation , hiatus , hitch * , hush * , interim , interlude , intermission , interregnum , interruption , interval , lacuna , lapse , layoff , letup * , lull , pausation , recess , respite , rest , rest period , stand , standstill , stay , stillness , stopover , stoppage , suspension , time out , discontinuation , discontinuity , disruption , indecision , indecisiveness , irresoluteness , irresolution , shilly-shally , tentativeness , timidity , timidness , to-and-fro , vacillation , adjournment , armistice , csura , moratorium , postponement

verb

break it up , call time , catch one’s breath , cease , come to standstill , deliberate , desist , discontinue , drop , halt , hesitate , hold back , interrupt , put on hold , reflect , rest , shake , sideline , stop briefly , suspend , take a break , take a breather , take five , take ten , think twice , waver , abide , bide , linger , stay , tarry , wait , dither , falter , shilly-shally , stagger , vacillate , wobble , break , breath , breather , caesura , cessation , comma , delay , demur , hesitation , hiatus , hover , intermission , intermit , interruption , interval , layoff , letup , lull , recess , respite , stop