A deliberate stop that is not an ending. Space held open so what comes next can be chosen rather than fallen into.
Greek παῦσις (pausis, a stopping), from παύειν (pauein, to stop, cease), via Latin pausa; a deliberate stop held open long enough for what comes next to be chosen rather than fallen into.
Time carved out on purpose, not to end anything but to keep what happens next from happening by default. The gap is the point — long enough that the next step is chosen rather than merely arrived at.