pause
/pɔ:z/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A temporary stop or break in action or speech: A short period when an activity, process, or speech is intentionally stopped before continuing.
- A brief interval of silence or inactivity: A momentary cessation, often for reflection, rest, or effect.
Verb:
- To stop an action or speech temporarily: To cease doing or saying something for a short time.
- To hesitate or wait briefly: To interrupt a process or activity before resuming it.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- There was a brief pause in the conversation before she answered.
- The music ended, followed by a dramatic pause.
Verb:
- He paused to catch his breath during the run.
- "Let me think," she said, pausing for a moment.
Advanced Usage
"To give (someone) pause": To cause someone to hesitate or reconsider.
- The high cost of the project gave the investors pause.
"Without pause": Continuously, without stopping.
- She worked for hours without pause.
Variants and Related Words
- Pausation (n, rare): The act of pausing.
- Pausative (adj, rare): Having the quality of causing a pause.
Synonyms
- Noun: Break, intermission, halt, interruption, lull.
- Verb: Halt, stop, cease, break, hesitate, delay.
Related Phrases and Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Pause" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically expressed directly.) - Pause for breath: To stop briefly to rest or breathe. - He had to pause for breath after climbing the stairs.
Related Idioms
- Pregnant pause: A pause that is full of meaning or significance, often creating suspense.
- After the shocking news, there was a pregnant pause in the room.
Noun
- temporary inactivity
- a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Verb
- cease an action temporarily
- We pause for station identification
- let's break for lunch
- interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
- The speaker paused