INDEX:
1. to stop doing something for a short time before continuing
2. to stop doing something in order to rest, eat etc
3. a period of time when you stop doing something
4. a short period of time when schoolwork, a meeting, a game etc stops
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ STOP
↑ REST
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1. to stop doing something for a short time before continuing
▷ pause /pɔːz/ [intransitive verb] written
to stop speaking or stop doing something for a very short time before starting again :
▪ Kim was reading her e-mail, but she paused and looked up when I came in.
▪ Lawrence paused and turned to me: ‘Look, if you don’t think it’s a good idea, don’t go.’
pause for breath
use this when you need to rest for a moment, especially when you are talking
▪ She talked for about twenty minutes without even pausing for breath.
pause to do something
▪ We waited while Graham paused to light a cigarette.
▷ stop /stɒpǁstɑːp/ [intransitive verb]
to stop doing something for a short time, before continuing again :
▪ Can we stop at the next services and get something to eat?
stop for coffee/lunch/a break etc
stop what you are doing, so you can have coffee, lunch etc
▪ We’ll stop for lunch at 12:30.
stop to look/listen/watch/talk/rest etc
stop in order to look at something etc
▪ We stopped to listen to a group of boys who were playing guitars in the street.
▪ I stopped to rest for a few minutes.
stop doing something (for a moment/while etc)
▪ Could you stop making that noise for a moment?
▪ The baby hadn’t stopped crying for two whole hours.
▷ hesitate /ˈhezɪteɪt, ˈhezəteɪt/ [intransitive verb]
to stop for a moment and wait before doing something, because you feel unsure or nervous about it :
▪ She hesitated for a moment before replying.
▪ Barry stood at the door, hesitating. Should he walk straight in or knock?
hesitation /ˌhezɪˈteɪʃ ə n, ˌhezəˈteɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
when someone hesitates :
▪ ‘Definitely’, he said, without any hesitation.
2. to stop doing something in order to rest, eat etc
▷ have/take a break /ˌhæv, ˌteɪk ə ˈbreɪk/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
to stop working for a while in order to rest, eat etc :
▪ We’re all getting tired. Let’s take a break for ten minutes.
▪ Is it all right if we have a break at about 10.30?
have a quick/short/five minute etc break
▪ If you’re working at a computer, it’s best if you have a quick break at least once an hour.
▷ take five /ˌteɪk ˈfaɪv/ [verb phrase] American informal
to stop for a while in order to rest :
▪ Let’s take five and get some coffee.
▷ take a breather /ˌteɪk ə ˈbriːðəʳ/ [verb phrase] informal
to stop for a while because you want a rest, especially because you have been doing something very difficult or tiring :
▪ It’s 12 o' clock. Why don’t we take a breather?
▪ I’d only been running for five minutes, but I had to stop and take a breather.
▷ break for lunch/coffee/Christmas etc /ˌbreɪk fəʳ ˈlʌntʃ/ [verb phrase]
to stop working and have lunch, a coffee break, a holiday etc :
▪ At 12.30, the committee broke for lunch.
▪ There’s still an enormous amount of work to do before we break for Christmas.
▷ take time out /teɪk ˌtaɪm ˈaʊt/ [verb phrase]
to stop for a while and rest, either because you are tired or in order to do something else :
▪ Try to take time out and get together with the kids.
take time out to do something
▪ Taking time out to relax each day is important during pregnancy.
take time out from/of
▪ The President took time out from his busy schedule to speak to the crowds.
▷ adjourn also recess American /əˈdʒɜːʳn, rɪˈses/ [intransitive/transitive verb] formal
if a meeting or court adjourns, or if someone in authority adjourns it, the meeting or court stops for a short time, for example so that more information can be collected :
▪ If there are no more questions, the committee will adjourn until tomorrow morning.
▪ ‘The court will recess for twenty minutes,’ Judge Bart said.
▪ The trial was adjourned for two weeks until the psychiatrist’s report was ready.
3. a period of time when you stop doing something
▷ break /breɪk/ [countable noun]
a long or short period when you stop your work or normal activities, before continuing them again later :
▪ She returned to her job after a six-month break.
break from
▪ After finishing school, Craig felt he needed a break from studying.
lunch/coffee/tea break
when you stop work to have lunch, coffee etc
▪ You get a one hour lunch break, and fifteen minutes for a coffee break in the afternoon.
▷ pause /pɔːz/ [countable noun] written
a short period during which you stop speaking or stop doing something before starting again :
▪ After a long pause, Barney said: ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’
pause in
▪ There was a pause in the conversation as everyone turned to say hello to Paul.
a pregnant pause
a pause when someone is expected to say something, especially something awkward or embarrassing
▪ ‘Where’s Matt?’ There was a long and pregnant pause.
▷ respite /ˈrespɪt, -paɪtǁ-pɪt/ [singular noun]
a short time when something unpleasant stops happening so that the situation is temporarily better :
▪ The noise went on all night, without a single moment’s respite.
respite from
▪ The citizens had only a few days’ respite from the conflict, before the shelling began again.
be no/little respite
▪ Weathermen yesterday warned that there would be no respite from the gales.
a brief/short-lived/temporary respite
▪ The drug can only provide a brief respite from the pain.
a welcome respite
▪ Some mothers regard work as a welcome respite from the stress of looking after a home and children.
▷ letup /ˈletʌp/ [singular noun]
a short time when something unpleasant stops happening so that the situation is temporarily better. Letup is more informal than respite :
▪ There was a short letup in the downpour after lunch.
without (a) letup
▪ The fighting raged without a letup through the night,
letup in
▪ Kline warned against any letup in the pilot’s concentration.
▷ lull /lʌl/ [countable noun]
a temporary break in busy activity, noise, talking, fighting etc :
▪ There was a lull, and then the thunder came again.
lull in
▪ Managers at Metrocentre have reported a lull in the recession, as takings continue to soar.
▪ For two days there had been a lull in the fighting.
▪ I waited for a lull in the conversation, before getting up to go.
▷ breathing space /ˈbriːðɪŋ ˌspeɪs/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a short time when you stop doing something difficult, tiring etc, so that people have time to think more clearly about the situation :
▪ At last a temporary agreement was reached, which gave both sides a breathing space.
breathing space to do something
▪ After the divorce, I badly needed some breathing space to try and rebuild my life.
4. a short period of time when schoolwork, a meeting, a game etc stops
▷ break /breɪk/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a short time between school classes when children can play, eat something etc :
▪ The children have a fifteen-minute break at 11 o'clock.
▪ Could you come and see me during afternoon break?
▷ intermission also interval British /ˌɪntəʳˈmɪʃ ə n, ˈɪntəʳv ə l/ [countable noun]
a planned pause during a play, concert, or film :
▪ There will now be a short intermission.
▪ Drinks will be on sale during the interval.
▷ interlude /ˈɪntəʳluːd/ [countable noun]
a planned pause during a play or concert, when music is often played :
a musical/comic etc interlude
▪ Halfway through the performance there was a short musical interlude.
▪ The dance provided a delightful comic interlude.
▷ adjournment [countable noun] especially British /recess [countable/uncountable noun] especially American /əˈdʒɜːʳnmənt, rɪˈsesǁˈriːses/
a pause when a court, formal meeting, talks etc stop for a short time, so that more information can be collected or so that people can discuss something :
▪ Mr Robertson applied for an adjournment, to see if witnesses could be traced.
▪ The heated debate continued after a ninety-minute adjournment.
▪ Peace talks resumed on June 15th, after a month-long recess.
call a recess
▪ At four o'clock, the judge called a recess, and the jury was led out of the courtroom.
be in recess
▪ The court will be in recess for twenty minutes.
▷ recess /rɪˈsesǁˈriːses/ [countable/uncountable noun]
when Parliament or Congress stops meeting for a period of time, in order to have a holiday :
the summer/Easter/Christmas recess
▪ The Bill was brought before the House of Commons and passed before the summer recess.
▪ Congress’s two-week Easter recess
be in recess
▪ The House is in recess until January 22nd, when it will vote on the Bill.