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what does a beat mean in this context?

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bartholomew | 20:41 Tue 04th Oct 2005 | Phrases & Sayings
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A:My dad lives in Exeter and I do not get to see him often.Do you see your dad?


B: There was a beat, and Tom said, "I saw him yesterday."

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It means a short pause. I presume it derides it's name from heartbeat...meaning to pause for the length of a heartbeat to reply etc.
yes - I thought it meant a beat as in music, but same thing: a brief pause
Yes, originating in the US I assume - because in US playscripts the stage directions often include both 'A beat' AND 'A pause' - so I've always assumed a beat is half a pause!
I believe Harold Pinter once ticked off an actor in one of his plays because the script included three dots ... and the actor only paused for two.

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