timeout
n. countablen. a short break from an activity, often used in sports or when a child is behaving badly. You use it to stop what is happening and rest or think.
n. a brief suspension of activity, typically for rest, strategy, or disciplinary purposes. Often used in competitive sports or as a behavioral management technique for children.
The coach called a timeout to discuss the next play.
After the toddler threw his toys, his mother gave him a five-minute timeout to calm down.
The head coach strategically utilized his final timeout during the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to organize a high-percentage scoring play.
From time + out.
Often written as two words ('time out') when used as a phrasal verb or in general contexts, but frequently closed as 'timeout' in sports and computing.