ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pause

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈpɔz// UK //pˈɔːz// pause Archaic General-service Slang

n. a short break in an activity before you start again. You use this when you stop talking or stop a video for a moment.

n. a temporary cessation in action, speech, or a process. Often used to indicate a brief interval of silence or inactivity before resumption.


SIMPLE

There was a long pause before she answered the phone.

CONTEXTUAL

The speaker made a dramatic pause to let the audience think about his last point.

COMPLEX

The conductor signaled a brief pause between the first and second movements, allowing the tension of the opening theme to dissipate before the melody resumed.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French pause, from Latin pausa, from Ancient Greek παῦσις (paûsis), from Ancient Greek παύω (paúō, “stop”), of uncertain origin. Doublet of pausa.

Usage

Often follows the verbs 'take', 'make', or 'give'.

Idioms2 entries

© 2026 English Reference