rest Hear it!

rest¹ Definition

rest (rest)

noun

    1. peace, ease, and refreshment as produced by sleep
    2. sleep or repose, or a period of this
  2. refreshing ease or inactivity after work or exertion
  3. a period or occasion of inactivity, as during work or on a journey
    1. relief from anything distressing, annoying, tiring, etc.
    2. peace of mind; mental and emotional calm; tranquillity
  5. the repose of death
  6. absence of motion; state of being still; immobility
  7. a resting or stopping place; shelter or lodging place, as for travelers, sailors, etc.
  8. a thing or device for supporting something; support: often used in combination a footrest
  9. Music
    1. a measured interval of silence between tones
    2. any of various symbols indicating the length of such an interval
  10. Prosody a short pause in a line of verse; caesura

Etymology: ME < OE, akin to Ger rast < IE base *ere-, *rē-, rest > Gr erōē, rest (from battle), OE row, Ger ruhe, rest, quiet, Goth razn, house

intransitive verb

    1. to get peace, ease, and refreshment by sleeping, lying down, etc.
    2. to sleep
  2. to get ease and refreshment by ceasing from work or exertion
  3. to be at ease or at peace; be tranquil
  4. to be dead
  5. to be or become quiet, still, or inactive for a while
  6. to remain without change or further action to let a matter rest
  7. to be, or seem to be, supported; specif.,
    1. to lie, sit, or lean
    2. to be placed, based, or founded (in, on, upon, etc.)
  8. to be placed or imposed as a burden or responsibility
  9. to be or lie the fault rests with him
  10. to be directed or fixed my eyes rested on the picture
  11. to rely; depend
  12. Agric. to remain unplowed or uncropped; lie fallow
  13. ☆ Law to end voluntarily the introduction of evidence in a case

Etymology: ME restan < OE ræstan < the n.; infl. in some senses (esp. rest) by L restare, to stop, remain & the deriv. Fr rester

transitive verb

  1. to give rest to; refresh by rest
  2. to place, put, or lay for ease, support, etc. to rest one's head on a pillow
  3. to base; ground to rest an argument on trivialities
  4. to direct or fix (the eyes, etc.)
  5. to bring to rest; stop
  6. ☆ Law to end voluntarily the introduction of evidence in (a case)

  • restabilize
  • restaff
  • restage

rest¹ Related Forms

rest′er noun

rest¹ Idioms

at rest

in a state of rest; specif.,

  1. asleep
  2. immobile
  3. free from distress, care, etc.
  4. dead

lay to rest

to bury (a dead person)

rest² Definition

rest (rest)

noun

  1. what is left after part is taken away; remainder
  2. the others

Etymology: ME < MFr reste < OFr rester, to rest, remain < L restare, to stop, stand, rest, remain < re-, back + stare, to stand

intransitive verb

to go on being; continue to be; remain (as specified) rest assured that we will go

Etymology: ME resten < OFr rester

transitive verb

Obsolete to cause to remain; keep “God rest ye merry, gentlemen”

rest³ Definition

rest (rest)

noun

a support for the butt of a lance, projecting from the side of the breastplate in medieval armor

Etymology: ME aphetic, var. of arest, an arrest

rest Synonyms

rest

n.

  1. Repose

    see also sense 2; sleep.

    Antonyms strain*, restlessness*, sleeplessness. *

  2. State of inactivity

    intermission, cessation, stillness, stop, stay, halt, stand, standstill, lull, discontinuance, interval, hush, silence, dead calm, stagnation, stagnancy, fixity, immobility, inactivity, quiescence, motionlessness, inertia, catalepsy, caesura, pause, full stop, deadlock, recess, noon hour; see also sense 1; peace 2.

    Antonyms continuance*, activity*, bustle. *

  3. Anything upon which an object rests

    support, prop, stay, seat, trestle, pillar, pedestal, base, bottom, pediment; see also foundation 2.

  4. The remainder

    balance, residue, surplus, the others; see excess 4, remainder.

  5. Death

    release, demise, eternal rest; see death 1.

at rest

in a state of repose, immobile, inactive; see resting 1.

lay to rest

inter, assign to the grave, entomb; see bury 1.

rest Synonyms

rest

v.

  1. To take one's rest

    sleep, slumber, doze, repose, lie down, retire, relax, unwind, lounge, let up, ease off, recuperate, rest up, take a rest, take a break, catch one's breath, refresh oneself, break the monotony, lean, recline, unbend, settle down, compose oneself for sleep, dream, drowse, take one's ease, be comfortable, stretch out, nap, nod, snooze*, take it easy*; see also relax 1, sleep.

  2. To be still

    be quiet, lie still, stand still, pause, halt, stop, stop short, hold, cease, pull up, lie to, come to rest, rest on one's oars.

  3. To depend upon

    be supported, be upheld, hang on, lie upon, be seated on, be propped by, be founded on, be based on; see also depend 2.

rest Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • assure: Please rest assured that your credit card details will be kept confidential.
  • spend: She spend the rest of her money on markers.
  • read: Read the rest... Johnson puts hammer down - John Wilford Copy from Football Unlimited of 09/02/2003.
  • earn: Before you travel to Waterloo take a well earned rest upon a bench on Hampstead Heath.
  • let: Replace lid let the rice rest for about 10 minutes.
  • devote: Kojève carried this conclusion into practice by abandoning philosophy and devoting the rest of his life to economic planning.

Modifies a noun

  • break: Rest breaks You have the right to a rest break of 20 minutes where your working day is longer than six hours.
  • period: Workers may complain to an employment tribunal if they are being denied rest periods, breaks or the paid annual leave entitlements.

Followed by an intransitive particle

upon: It is utterly false to contend that 'this is what the internationalism of the Communist parties rests upon ' .

Preposition: in

peace: Rest in peace, be in pain no longer.

Preposition: of

  • world: Would you care to tell me the rest of the world is sane.
  • cast: Jonathan Frakes and the rest of the cast handle themselves very nicely and there is a sense of chemistry all around the ship.
  • season: We wish them good luck for the rest of the season.
  • crew: Or perhaps you knew the rest of the crew.
  • afternoon: Rest of afternoon at leisure Day 2 - Sat Vilnius.
  • country: However, agents in the rest of the country saw an average increase from 58 to 67.

Noun used with modifier

  • wrist: The wrist rest should not be confused with the palm rest, because it supports only the palm.
  • Sabbath: It has been a long week of sorrow, pain, travail and weariness, but the Sabbath rest is near.
  • palm: The wrist rest should not be confused with the palm rest, because it supports only the palm.
  • min: Allow yourself 10 mins rest for every hour of walking.