[pause] n [ME, fr. L pausa, fr. Gk pausis, fr. pauein to stop] (15c) 1: a temporary stop
2. a: a break in a verse b: a brief suspension of the voice to indicate the limits and relations of sentences and their parts
3: temporary inaction esp. as caused by uncertainty: hesitation
4. a: the sign denoting a fermata b: a mark (as a period or comma) used in writing or printing to indicate or correspond to a pause of voice
5: a reason or cause for pausing (as to reconsider) "a thought that should give one ~"
[2]pause vb paused ; paus.ing vi (15c) 1: to stop temporarily
2: to linger for a time ~ vt: to cause to pause: stop