rest

¹ American  

[rest] / rɛst /

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.

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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 orupon ).

12. to rely (usually followed by on orupon ).

13. to be based or founded (usually followed by on orupon ).

14. to be found; belong; reside (often followed bywith ).

    The blame rests with them.

15. to be present; dwell; linger (usually followed by on orupon ).

    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.

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.

rest ² American  

[rest] / rɛst /

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.

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verb (used without object)

1. to continue to be; remain as specified.

   Rest assured that all is well.

rest ³ American  

[rest] / rɛst /

noun

Armor.

1. a support for a lance; lance rest.

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rest ¹ British  

/ 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. 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. to slow down and stop

15. to bury (a dead person)

16. to reassure someone or settle someone's mind

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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. See laurel

15. 1. to stop rowing for a time

    2. to stop doing anything for a time

rest ² British  

/ rɛst /

noun

1. something left or remaining; remainder

2. the others

   the rest of the world

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verb

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

   rest assured

rest More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing rest

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

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Other Word Forms

• rester
  noun

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Etymology

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; see re-, stand

Origin of rest³

First recorded in 1490–1500; shortening of arrest

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Explanation

To rest means to relax into something and let it support you. Rest yourself on the couch for a while, if you're tired. The word rest comes from the German rasta meaning "league of miles." If you walked that far, you'd need a good rest too. Whatever way you choose to use the word rest — whether it's something you do, something you take, or something you put your arm up on — you're describing a moment of stillness and calm. Rest also means "the stuff left over." Who will eat the rest of the cookies when you have to rest from eating so many of them?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rest

To this end he broke the hour down into two minute blocks with 30 seconds of rest in between.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

Reviewing the show at the Cape Ann Museum, our critic said that the exhibition reveals the town as “a place that affected the rest of their careers and a period of American art.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

Eventually Stallo’s and Maur’s paths cross as she draws closer to the secrets around her son’s career in the RAF and the mysteries of a paranormal realm unknown to the rest of the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

But rest assured, we’ll be back in your inbox with more wild happenings on Monday.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

More and more the distinction between prayer and the rest of life seemed to be vanishing for Betsie.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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Related Words

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

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