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rest1

Pronunciation: /rɛst/

Translate rest | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of rest

verb

[no object]
  • 1cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength:he needed to rest after the feverish activity I’m going to rest up before travelling to England
  • [with object] allow to be inactive in order to regain strength or health:her friend read to her while she rested her eyes
  • (be resting) British used euphemistically by actors to indicate that they are out of work: she was an actress but doing domestic work while she was resting
  • [with object] leave (a player) out of a team temporarily:both men were rested for the cup final
  • (of a problem or subject) be left without further investigation or discussion:the council has urged the planning committee not to allow the matter to rest
  • [with object] allow (land) to lie fallow: the field should be grazed or rested
  • 2 [no object, with adverbial of place] be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position:her elbow was resting on the arm of the sofa
  • (of a body) lie buried:the king’s body rested in his tomb
  • [with object and adverbial of place] place (something) so that it is supported in a specified position:he rested a hand on her shoulder
  • (rest on/upon) (of a look) alight or be steadily directed on:his eyes rested briefly on the boy
  • 3 (rest on/upon) be based on; depend on:the country’s security rested on its alliances
  • [with object] (rest something in/on) place hope, trust, or confidence on or in:she rested her hopes in her attorney
  • be the responsibility of or belong to a specified person:the final say rests with the regional assemblies
  • 4 Law, North American conclude presentation of either party’s case in a suit or prosecution:the prosecution restsSee also rest one's case below.

noun

  • 1an instance or period of resting:you look as though you need a rest [mass noun]:a couple of days of complete rest
  • [mass noun] a motionless state:the car accelerates rapidly from rest
  • 2 Music an interval of silence of a specified duration.
  • the sign denoting a musical rest.
  • a pause in speech or verse.
  • 3 [in combination] an object that is used to support something:a shoulder rest
  • a support or hook for a telephone receiver when not in use: carefully the receiver was replaced on the rest
  • a support for a cue in billiards or snooker.

Phrases

at rest

not moving or exerting oneself: uncurl so your arms and legs are at rest
not agitated or troubled:if you think something’s wrong, consult the doctor to set your mind at rest
dead and buried: she lies at rest in the churchyard

come to rest

stop moving; settle:the lift came to rest at the first floor

give it a rest

British informal used to ask someone to stop talking about something that the speaker finds irritating: give it a rest, lads—agree to differ

no rest for the wicked

see wicked.

rest one's case

conclude one’s presentation of evidence and arguments in a lawsuit: the prosecution rested its case
humorous said to show that one believes one has presented sufficient evidence for one’s views.

rest on one's laurels

see laurel.

rest (or God rest) his (or her) soul

used to express a wish that God should grant someone’s soul peace.

Origin:

Old English ræst, rest (noun), ræstan, restan (verb), of Germanic origin, from a root meaning 'league' or 'mile' (referring to a distance after which one rests)

rest in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rest in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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