World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesGive someone pause
/ɡɪv ˈsʌm.wʌn pɔːz/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
1 sense- 1
To cause someone to stop, think carefully, or hesitate due to uncertainty, doubt, or concern.
"The sheer cost of the renovation should give anyone pause before signing the contract."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
The idiom combines the verb 'give', meaning to cause or present, with the noun 'pause', derived from the Latin 'pausa' and Greek 'pausis' meaning a halt or cessation. Historically popularized in literature, notably by Shakespeare, it evolved to describe a moment of hesitation or critical reflection induced by unexpected information.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Give someone pause"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Give someone pause" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
faire réfléchir
Transliteration: fɛʁ ʁe.fle.ʃiʁ
"Ces chiffres devraient faire réfléchir les investisseurs."
stutzen lassen
Transliteration: ˈʃtʊtsən ˈlasən
"Diese Nachricht muss jeden stutzen lassen."
far riflettere
Transliteration: far rifˈlɛt.te.re
"Questa scoperta dovrebbe far riflettere tutti noi."
dar que pensar
Transliteration: daɾ ke penˈsaɾ
"Sus palabras deberían dar que pensar a la directiva."
dar que pensar
Transliteration: daɾ ke pẽˈsaɾ
"Os dados recentes devem dar que pensar aos gestores."
सोचने पर मजबूर करना
Transliteration: sochne par majboor karna
"इस दुर्घटना ने सुरक्षा उपायों पर सोचने पर मजबूर कर दिया।"
令人深思
Transliteration: lìng rén shēn sī
"这一 unexpected 的结果令人深思。"
머뭇거리게 하다
Transliteration: meomutgeorige hada
"높은 가격은 소비자를 머뭇거리게 했다."
立ち止まらせる
Transliteration: tachidomaraseru
"そのニュースは人々に立ち止まらせて考えさせた。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
View all English termsCapable of being assigned, transferred, or allocated to a specific person, purpose, or location.
The quality or state of being not quite exact or accurate; lack of precision.
Not living or residing in a particular place, state, or country for legal, tax, or official purposes.
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