pause
/pɔz/
Reviewed on
Also a noun
Meaning
To stop an action or speech temporarily before continuing.
He paused for a few seconds to let his audience absorb the shocking news.
Why did she pause right in the middle of her presentation?
To temporarily suspend the playback of audio, video, or a game.
She paused the movie so everyone could grab a slice of pizza.
Can you pause that game for a minute and help me?
How it's used
When this means “stop temporarily before continuing”
- pause to consider the options
- pause for breath
He paused before answering the difficult question.
When this means “temporarily stop media playback”
- pause the video
“pause it.”
She paused the video to take notes.
Collocations
- pause to reflect
Idioms
give someone pause
makes someone stop and think carefully
The unexpected cost of repairs gave her pause before buying the car.