resting
Americanadjective
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that rests; not active.
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Botany. dormant: applied especially to spores or seeds that germinate after a period of dormancy.
adjective
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not moving or working; at rest
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euphemistic (of an actor) out of work
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(esp of plant spores) undergoing a period of dormancy before germination
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(of cells) not undergoing mitosis
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of resting
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at rest 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The former world number four has only played 14 matches in the past 12 months, largely because of the bruised humerus which he has tried to overcome by resting for long periods.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Using a car comparison, the researchers were effectively testing whether the brain's engine continued to run at an unusually high speed even while the animals were resting.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
While Nolan might not be resting easy, he told the Guardian that he plans to take a break now that “The Odyssey” is out in the world.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
Last week, Singh was resting at a “Cooling Zone,” one of several temporary shelters with giant fans and drinking water set up by the government in the national capital this summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Some dogs pull and when they get tired they slack off but they keep enough pull on the harness tug so it appears they are working while they are really resting.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.