rest

1
[ rest ]
See synonyms for: restrestedresting on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs.

  2. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquility: to go away for a rest.

  3. mental or spiritual calm; tranquility: At a high-pressure job like this, you need all the emotional rest you can get.

  4. the repose of death: eternal rest.

  5. cessation or absence of motion: to bring a machine to rest.

  6. Music.

    • an interval of silence between tones.

    • a mark or sign indicating an interval of silence between tones.

  7. Prosody. a short pause within a line; caesura.

  8. a place that provides shelter or lodging for travelers, as an inn.

  9. any stopping or resting place: a roadside rest for weary hikers.

  10. a piece or thing for something to rest on: a hand rest.

  11. a supporting device; support.

  12. Billiards, Pool. bridge1 (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.

  1. to be at ease; have tranquility or peace: to practice meditation as a way to rest and regroup.

  2. to repose in death.

  3. to be quiet or still.

  4. to cease from motion, come to rest; stop.

  5. to become or remain inactive.

  6. to stay as is or remain without further action or notice: to let a matter rest.

  7. to lie, sit, lean, or be set: His arm rested on the table.

  8. Agriculture. to lie fallow or unworked: to let land rest.

  9. to be imposed as a burden or responsibility (usually followed by on or upon).

  10. to rely (usually followed by on or upon).

  11. to be based or founded (usually followed by on or upon).

  12. to be found; belong; reside (often followed by with): The blame rests with them.

  13. to be present; dwell; linger (usually followed by on or upon): A sunbeam rests upon the altar.

  14. to be fixed or directed on something, as the eyes, a gaze, etc.

  15. 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.

  1. to direct (as the eyes): to rest one's gaze upon someone.

  2. to base, or let depend, as on some ground of reliance.

  3. to bring to rest; halt; stop.

  4. Law. to terminate voluntarily the introduction of evidence on: to rest one's case.

Idioms about rest

  1. at rest,

    • in a state of repose, as in sleep.

    • dead.

    • quiescent; inactive; not in motion:the inertia of an object at rest.

    • free from worry; tranquil: Nothing could put his mind at rest.

  2. lay to rest,

    • to inter (a dead body); bury: He was laid to rest last Thursday.

    • to allay, suppress, or appease.

Origin of rest

1
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

Other words for rest

Other words from rest

  • rest·er, noun

Words that may be confused with rest

Words Nearby rest

Other definitions for rest (2 of 3)

rest2
[ rest ]

noun
  1. the rest,

    • 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.

    • 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.

Origin of rest

2
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; see re-, stand

Other definitions for rest (3 of 3)

rest3
[ rest ]

nounArmor.
  1. a support for a lance; lance rest.

Origin of rest

3
First recorded in 1490–1500; shortening of arrest

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rest (1 of 2)

rest1

/ (rɛst) /


noun
    • relaxation from exertion or labour

    • (as modifier): a rest period

  1. repose; sleep

  1. any relief or refreshment, as from worry or something troublesome

  2. calm; tranquillity

  3. death regarded as repose: eternal rest

  4. cessation from motion

  5. at rest

    • not moving; still

    • calm; tranquil

    • dead

    • asleep

  6. a pause or interval

  7. a mark in a musical score indicating a pause of specific duration

  8. prosody a pause in or at the end of a line; caesura

  9. a shelter or lodging: a seaman's rest

  10. a thing or place on which to put something for support or to steady it; prop

  11. 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

  12. come to rest to slow down and stop

  13. lay to rest to bury (a dead person)

  14. 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

  1. (tr) to place or position for support or steadying: to rest one's elbows on the table

  2. (intr) to be at ease; be calm

  3. to cease or cause to cease from motion or exertion; halt

  4. to lie dead and buried

  5. (intr) to remain without further attention or action: let the matter rest

  6. to direct (one's eyes) or (of one's eyes) to be directed: her eyes rested on the sleeping child

  7. to depend or cause to depend; base; rely: the whole argument rests on one crucial fact

  8. to place or be placed, as blame, censure, etc

  9. to put pastry in a cool place to allow the gluten to contract

  10. (intr ; foll by with, on, upon, etc) to be a responsibility (of): it rests with us to apportion blame

  11. law to finish the introduction of evidence in (a case)

  12. rest on one's laurels See laurel (def. 9)

  13. rest on one's oars

    • to stop rowing for a time

    • to stop doing anything for a time

Origin of rest

1
Old English ræst, reste, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic rasta a mile, Old Norse röst mile

Derived forms of rest

  • rester, noun

British Dictionary definitions for rest (2 of 2)

rest2

/ (rɛst) /


nounthe rest
  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

Origin of rest

2
C15: from Old French rester to remain, from Latin rēstāre, from re- + stāre to stand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with rest

rest

In addition to the idioms beginning with rest

  • rest assured
  • rest on one's laurels

also see:

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

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.