pause vs cut off

pause is a noun but cut off is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pause	Yes	No	Yes	No
cut off	No	Yes	Yes	No

As verbs, cut off is a hypernym of pause; that is, cut off is a word with a broader meaning than pause:

Other hypernyms of pause include break up, disrupt, interrupt.

pause (noun)	cut off (noun)
temporary inactivity
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

pause (adjective)	cut off (adjective)
	detached by cutting

pause (verb)	cut off (verb)
cease an action temporarily	cease, stop
interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing	make a break in
	remove by or as if by cutting
	remove surgically
	break a small piece off from
	cut off and stop