I. ˈpȯz noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin pausa, from Greek pausis, from pauein to stop
Date: 15th century
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 especially 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 pause
6. : a function of an electronic device that pauses a recording
II. verb
( paused ; paus·ing )
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
1. : to stop temporarily
2. : to linger for a time
transitive verb
: to cause to pause : stop