paused
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
An inflected form of pause · past form.
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,125 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 16,281 times across 175,160 chapters — 0.008% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing also: hesitate The speaker paused
- cease an action temporarily also: intermit, break We pause for station identificationlet's break for lunch
paused in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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He paused at the turn and swept one hand toward the wall.
Actions and reactions · Rudyard Kipling · Chapter 1
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He paused for a moment to breathe, and sprang on to complete his task.
Famous Stories Every Child Should Know · Hamilton Wright [Editor] Mabie · Chapter 1
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At the end of the village he paused before the darkened front of the church.
Ethan Frome · Edith Wharton · Chapter 1
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She repeated this more than once, as if compelling herself to acknowledge it, and then paused.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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Feeling as guilty as the detective thought him, he paused there and examined the house for some sign of life.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1