ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pause

v. · n. · interj.
US //ˈpɔz// UK //pˈɔːz// pause
  1. 1 to stop briefly (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to stop what you are doing for a short time before starting again.

    to cease an action or motion temporarily before resuming.

    Example

    She paused for a moment to catch her breath before continuing the climb.

    Example

    The speaker paused significantly after the announcement, allowing the gravity of the news to settle over the assembled audience.
  2. 2 to stop media (v.)
    A2 Elementary Computing

    to stop a video or music for a moment so you can play it again from the same spot.

    to temporarily halt the playback of digital or analog media.

    Example

    Can you pause the movie while I go get some water?

    Example

    The software is designed to pause the download automatically if the internet connection becomes unstable.
  3. 3 a short break (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a short period of time when nothing happens or no one speaks.

    a temporary interval of silence or inactivity.

    Example

    There was a long pause on the phone before he finally answered.

    Example

    A sudden pause in the conversation made everyone in the room feel slightly uncomfortable.
  4. 4 a button (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Computing

    the button on a remote or screen that stops a video or song.

    a control or icon used to interrupt and later resume a process or media stream.

    Example

    Hit pause so we don't miss any of the show.

    Example

    The user interface features a prominent pause icon that toggles to a play symbol when activated.
    • pause button
  5. 5 musical symbol (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Music

    a mark in music that tells the player to hold a note for longer than usual.

    a sign indicating the prolongation of a note or rest beyond its nominal value.

    Example

    The conductor held the pause until the last echo died away in the hall.

    Example

    The composer placed a pause over the final chord to create a sense of unresolved tension before the movement concluded.
    • fermata
  6. 6 no innuendo intended (interj.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal

    you say this after a sentence that might sound like a joke about sex to show you didn't mean it that way.

    used as a pragmatic marker to disclaim any unintended sexual innuendo in a preceding statement.

    Example

    That banana is huge, pause.

    Example

    After realizing his comment about the athlete's physique could be misinterpreted, he quickly added 'pause' to the end of his sentence.

    Usage

    Used as a standalone interjection immediately following the ambiguous phrase.

    Teacher's tip

    This is common in modern internet culture and urban slang; it is often used humorously but can be seen as immature in professional settings.
    • no homo
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.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms2 entries

Last updated June 19, 2026