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Defer vs Pause - What's the difference?

defer | pause |

In transitive terms the difference between defer and pause

is that defer is to delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service while pause is to halt the play or playback of, temporarily, so that it can be resumed from the same point.

In intransitive terms the difference between defer and pause

is that defer is to delay, to wait while pause is to hesitate; to hold back; to delay.

As a noun pause is

a temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.

defer

English

Etymology 1

* From (etyl) differer, from (etyl) .

Verb

(deferr)
  • To delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Defer the spoil of the city until night.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1818 , author=Mary Shelley , title=Frankenstein , chapter=3 citation , passage=My departure for Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon.}}
  • to delay, to wait
  • * Milton
  • God will not long defer / To vindicate the glory of his name.
  • (American football) to choose to kick off after winning the opening coin toss.
  • Derived terms
    * deferral

    Etymology 2

    * From (etyl)

    Verb

    (deferr)
  • (legal) To submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Hereupon the commissioners deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland.
  • * 1899 ,
  • "Well, I must defer to your judgment. You are captain," he said with marked civility.
  • to render, to offer
  • * Brevint
  • worship deferred to the Virgin
    Derived terms
    * deference

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    pause

    English

    Verb

    (paus)
  • To interrupt an activity and wait.
  • When telling the scary story, he paused for effect.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • Tarry, pause a day or two.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • pausing while thus to herself she mused
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=15 citation , passage=She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar.’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough!
  • To hesitate; to hold back; to delay.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • Why doth the Jew pause ? Take thy forfeiture.
  • To halt the play or playback of, temporarily, so that it can be resumed from the same point.
  • to pause a song, a video, or a computer game
  • (obsolete) To consider; to reflect.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • Take time to pause .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation.
  • * , chapter=23
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.}}
  • A short time for relaxing and doing something else.
  • Hesitation; suspense; doubt.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • I stand in pause where I shall first begin.
  • In writing and printing, a mark indicating the place and nature of an arrest of voice in reading; a punctuation mark.
  • A break or paragraph in writing.
  • * (John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • He writes with warmth, which usually neglects method, and those partitions and pauses which men educated in schools observe.
  • (as direct object) take pause': hesitate; give ' pause : cause to hesitate