pause

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [V] to stop talking or doing sth for a short time before continuing: Anita paused for a moment, then said: 'All right'. * The woman spoke almost without pausing for breath (= very quickly). * I paused at the door and looked back. * Pausing only to pull on a sweater, he ran out of the house. 2 [VN] to stop a tape, CD, etc. for a short time using the pause button: She paused the video and went to answer the phone. noun 1 ~ (in sth) a period of time during which sb stops talking or stops what they are doing: There was a long pause before she answered. * David waited for a pause in the conversation so he could ask Joe his question. * After a brief pause, they continued climbing. * The rain fell without pause. -< BREAK 2 (especially BrE) (also fermata especially in AmE) (music) a sign (pause) over a note or a REST to show that it should be longer than usual 3 [U] (also pause button) a control that allows you to stop a TAPERECORDER, CD player, etc. for a short time: Press pause to stop the tape. IDIOMS give (sb) pause (BrE also give )sb( pause for thought) (formal) to make sb think seriously about sth or hesitate before doing sth: Popular resistance to the measures should give the government pause. moreatPREGNANT