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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)

Related Forms:

rest 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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms rest idiom

medical rest definition - medical

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

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.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

rest Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • assure: Please rest assured that your credit card details will be kept confidential.

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.

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.

Noun used with modifier

  • wrist: The wrist rest should not be confused with the palm rest, because it supports only the palm.
rest usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

rest quotes

Come, madam, come, all rest my powers defy, Until I labour, I in labour lie. The foe oft-times having the foe in sight, Is tired with standing though he never fight. Off with that girdle, like heaven's zone glistering, But a far fairer world encompassing. Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear, That busy fools may be stopped there. Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime Tells me from you that now 'tis your bed time.

-Donne,John

Always to be best, and to be distinguished above the rest.

-Homer   8c

Notre nature est dans le mouvement; le repos entier est la mort. Our nature consists in movement; absolute rest is death.

-Pascal, Blaise

rest quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"rest." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/rest>

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rest. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/rest

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