Pause (?), n. [F., fr. L. pausa. See Pose.]
1.
A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
2.
Temporary inaction or waiting; hesitation; suspence; doubt.
I stand in pause where I shall first begin.
Shak.
3.
In speaking or reading aloud, a brief arrest or suspension of voice, to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts.
4.
In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation point; as, teach the pupil to mind the pauses.
5.
A break or paragraph in writing.
He writes with warmth, which usually neglects method, and those partitions and pauses which men educated in schools observe.
Locke.
6. Mus.
A hold. See 4th Hold, 7.
Syn. -- Stop; cessation; suspension.
© Webster 1913.
Pause, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pausing.] [Cf. F. pauser, L. pausare. See Pause, n., Pose.]
1.
To make a short stop; to cease for a time; to intermit speaking or acting; to stop; to wait; to rest.
"Tarry,
pause a day or two."
Shak.
Pausing while, thus to herself she mused.
Milton.
2.
To be intermitted; to cease; as, the music pauses.
3.
To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.
[R.]
Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture.
Shak.
<-- is this anti-semitic or what? -->
4.
To stop in order to consider; hence, to consider; to reflect.
[R.] "Take time to
pause."
Shak.
To pause upon, to deliberate concerning.
Shak.
Syn. -- To intermit; stop; stay; wait; delay; tarry; hesitate; demur.
© Webster 1913.
Pause, v. t.
To cause to stop or rest; -- used reflexively.
[R.]
Shak.
© Webster 1913.