expression, godan verb (-su)
fill in time; stall for time
Used when you need to occupy a gap in time, often in conversation or performance, by saying or doing something to avoid awkward silence. Similar to 間を持たせる, but 間を持たす is a slightly more casual or dialectal variant.
See also: 間を持たせる
ゲストが来るまで、ちょっとした話で間を持たした。
I filled in the time with small talk until the guest arrived.
司会者が冗談を言って間を持たす。
The emcee tells jokes to stall for time.