rest

¹

[ rest ]

noun

1. the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep:

   a good night's rest.

2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor:

   to allow an hour for rest.

3. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs.
4. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquility:

   to go away for a rest.

5. mental or spiritual calm; tranquility:

   At a high-pressure job like this, you need all the emotional rest you can get.

6. the repose of death:

   eternal rest.

7. cessation or absence of motion:

   to bring a machine to rest.

   Synonyms: standstill, halt, stop

8. Music.
   1. an interval of silence between tones.
   2. a mark or sign indicating an interval of silence between tones.
9. Prosody. a short pause within a line; caesura.
10. a place that provides shelter or lodging for travelers, as an inn.
11. any stopping or resting place:

    a roadside rest for weary hikers.

12. a piece or thing for something to rest on:

    a hand rest.

13. a supporting device; support.
14. Billiards, Pool. bridge ¹( def 14b ).

verb (used without object)

1. to refresh oneself, as by sleeping, lying down, or relaxing.
2. to relieve weariness by cessation of exertion or labor.
3. to be at ease; have tranquility or peace:

   to practice meditation as a way to rest and regroup.

4. to repose in death.
5. to be quiet or still.
6. to cease from motion, come to rest; stop.
7. to become or remain inactive.
8. to stay as is or remain without further action or notice:

   to let a matter rest.

9. to lie, sit, lean, or be set:

   His arm rested on the table.

10. Agriculture. to lie fallow or unworked:

    to let land rest.

11. to be imposed as a burden or responsibility (usually followed by on or upon ).
12. to rely (usually followed by on or upon ).
13. to be based or founded (usually followed by on or upon ).
14. to be found; belong; reside (often followed by with ):

    The blame rests with them.

15. to be present; dwell; linger (usually followed by on or upon ):

    A sunbeam rests upon the altar.

16. to be fixed or directed on something, as the eyes, a gaze, etc.
17. Law. to terminate voluntarily the introduction of evidence in a case.

verb (used with object)

1. to give rest to; refresh with rest:

   to rest oneself.

2. to lay or place for rest, ease, or support:

   to rest one's back against a tree.

3. to direct (as the eyes):

   to rest one's gaze upon someone.

4. to base, or let depend, as on some ground of reliance.
5. to bring to rest; halt; stop.
6. Law. to terminate voluntarily the introduction of evidence on:

   to rest one's case.

rest

²

[ rest ]

noun

1. the rest,
   1. the part that is left or remains; remainder:

      Thirty of the students found seats, but the rest are in the corridor.

      Approximately $250,000 was set aside for paying legal fees, and the rest is for administration of the program.

   2. the other people or things; everyone or everything else under consideration:

      All the rest of the kids are going, so why can't I?

      He was traded to the team five years ago, and the rest is football history.

2. British Banking. surplus ( defs 1, 2 ).

verb (used without object)

1. to continue to be; remain as specified:

   Rest assured that all is well.

rest

³

[ rest ]

noun

, Armor.

1. a support for a lance; lance rest.

rest

¹

/ rɛst /

noun

1. 1. relaxation from exertion or labour
   2. ( as modifier )

      a rest period

2. repose; sleep
3. any relief or refreshment, as from worry or something troublesome
4. calm; tranquillity
5. death regarded as repose

   eternal rest

6. cessation from motion
7. at rest
   1. not moving; still
   2. calm; tranquil
   3. dead
   4. asleep
8. a pause or interval
9. a mark in a musical score indicating a pause of specific duration
10. prosody a pause in or at the end of a line; caesura
11. a shelter or lodging

    a seaman's rest

12. a thing or place on which to put something for support or to steady it; prop
13. billiards snooker any of various special poles used as supports for the cue in shots that cannot be made using the hand as a support
14. come to rest
    to slow down and stop
15. lay to rest
    to bury (a dead person)
16. set someone's mind at rest
    to reassure someone or settle someone's mind

verb

1. to take or give rest, as by sleeping, lying down, etc
2. to place or position (oneself, etc) for rest or relaxation
3. tr to place or position for support or steadying

   to rest one's elbows on the table

4. intr to be at ease; be calm
5. to cease or cause to cease from motion or exertion; halt
6. to lie dead and buried
7. intr to remain without further attention or action

   let the matter rest

8. to direct (one's eyes) or (of one's eyes) to be directed

   her eyes rested on the sleeping child

9. to depend or cause to depend; base; rely

   the whole argument rests on one crucial fact

10. to place or be placed, as blame, censure, etc
11. to put pastry in a cool place to allow the gluten to contract
12. intr; foll by with, on, upon, etc to be a responsibility (of)

    it rests with us to apportion blame

13. law to finish the introduction of evidence in (a case)
14. rest on one's laurels
    See laurel
15. rest on one's oars
    1. to stop rowing for a time
    2. to stop doing anything for a time

rest

²

/ rɛst /

noun

1. something left or remaining; remainder
2. the others

   the rest of the world

verb

1. copula to continue to be (as specified); remain

   rest assured

Derived Forms

• ˈrester, noun

Other Words From

• rest·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of rest¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun rest(e), rast(e), Old English reste, ræst; akin to German Rast; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of rest²

First recorded in 1375–1425; (for the verb) late Middle English resten “to remain due or unpaid,” from Middle French rester “to remain,” from Latin restāre “to remain standing, linger, stay put,” from re- prefix + stāre “to stand, stand up, be standing”; noun derivative of the verb; re-, stand

Origin of rest³

First recorded in 1490–1500; shortening of arrest

Word History and Origins

Origin of rest¹

Old English ræst, reste , of Germanic origin; related to Gothic rasta a mile, Old Norse röst mile

Origin of rest²

C15: from Old French rester to remain, from Latin rēstāre , from re- + stāre to stand

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at rest,
   1. in a state of repose, as in sleep.
   2. dead.
   3. quiescent; inactive; not in motion:

      the inertia of an object at rest.

   4. free from worry; tranquil:

      Nothing could put his mind at rest.

2. lay to rest,
   1. to inter (a dead body); bury:

      He was laid to rest last Thursday.

   2. to allay, suppress, or appease.

More idioms and phrases containing rest

• at rest
• lay at rest
• lay to rest
• set one's mind at rest

Example Sentences

Speaking on his podcast The Rest Is Football, he said this week's announcement was "basically news of an extra year contract" for him at the BBC.

From BBC

You guys said you needed the rest.

From BBC

Festival organiser Emily Eavis has previously said 2026 will be a fallow year for Glastonbury, to allow the land to rest and recover, but she is already in talks with acts to headline in 2025.

From BBC

The rest will be nominated by parties based on the percentage of votes they get in what is known as proportional representation.

From BBC

Consider the rest that’s at stake Saturday, with USC’s hopes of bowl eligibility hanging by a thread, and you might wonder if that weight would be too much to shoulder for a young quarterback still finding his way.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• lay
• lean
• pause
• prop
• settle
• sit
• stand
• stretch out