rest
A1Neutral to formal (depends on context). Common in all registers.
Definition
Meaning
To cease work or movement in order to relax, recover strength, or refresh; a period of such relaxation.
The part that remains; support or base for an object; a pause in music; a state of tranquility or inactivity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has a very broad semantic field, covering physical relaxation, musical notation, mathematical remainders, and metaphorical support. The context heavily disambiguates.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. In law/real estate, 'the rest, residue and remainder' is common in AmE legal documents, while BrE may use 'the remainder' more simply. The phrase 'to rest one's case' is equally common.
Connotations
Largely identical. 'The rest of' is slightly more frequent in AmE corpus data.
Frequency
Both varieties use the word with near-identical high frequency.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] rest[subject] rest [object] (e.g., rest one's head)[subject] rest on/upon/against [object][subject] rest [object] on/upon/against [object]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “rest on one's laurels”
- “lay/put to rest”
- “give it a rest”
- “rest assured”
- “the rest is history”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports: 'The rest of the budget will be allocated next quarter.'
Academic
In mathematics/physics: 'Calculate the remainder.' 'An object at rest remains at rest.'
Everyday
Common for discussing breaks, relaxation, and remaining items: 'I need to rest my leg.' 'You can have the rest of the cake.'
Technical
Music: 'A quaver rest.' Engineering/Physics: 'The beam rests on two supports.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I'm going to rest for a bit after that long walk.
- The decision rests with the committee.
- He rested his bike against the wall.
American English
- You should rest your voice before the big presentation.
- The case rests on circumstantial evidence.
- She rested her head on the pillow.
adverb
British English
- He sat there, easy and restful. (Note: 'restful' is an adjective; English lacks a dedicated adverb 'rest'.)
American English
- She lay restfully. (Same note applies.)
adjective
British English
- He's in his rest period now. (e.g., athlete)
- The rest energy of a particle is defined by E=mc².
American English
- Pull into the next rest area off the highway.
- The rest mass is a fundamental concept.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cat is resting on the sofa.
- Eat this apple. The rest is for your brother.
- We walked for an hour without rest.
- You look tired; you should sit down and rest.
- The book rested on the shelf for years.
- I agree with your first point, but I'm not sure about the rest.
- The success of the project rests upon our ability to collaborate.
- After the intense debate, the chairman let the matter rest.
- The violin soloist observed the semibreve rest perfectly.
- The theory rests on a series of unproven assumptions.
- He was laid to rest in the family plot.
- Having won the championship, she was careful not to rest on her laurels.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a RESToaurant as a place where you REST and eat. Both have 'REST' in them.
Conceptual Metaphor
INACTIVITY IS REST (e.g., 'let the matter rest'), REMAINING IS RESTING (e.g., 'the rest of the money'), CERTAINTY/TRUST IS RESTING (e.g., 'my faith rests on this evidence').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'rest' as 'отдых' when it means 'remainder' (use 'остаток').
- The verb 'to rest' is not always 'отдыхать'; it can be 'покоиться, лежать, опираться'.
- In 'rest assured', 'rest' means 'remain/be', not 'relax'.
Common Mistakes
- *I need a resting. (Incorrect noun form) -> I need a rest / I need to rest.
- Confusing 'the rest' (noun) with 'to rest' (verb) in sentence structure.
- Using 'rest' as a countable noun for short breaks: *'I took two rests.' -> 'I rested twice/I took two breaks.'
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The evidence rests on a single witness,' what is the closest meaning of 'rests'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Rest' implies relaxation and recuperation, often from fatigue. 'Break' is a more general pause in activity, which may or may not involve rest (e.g., a coffee break).
Yes, it can. For example: 'John stayed, but the rest of us went home.' It refers to the remaining people in a group.
It can be both. As 'to cease activity/relax', it's dynamic ('He is resting'). As 'to be situated/supported' ('The lamp rests on the table'), it is stative and not usually used in continuous forms.
It's a fixed phrase meaning 'you can be certain'. It is always used in the imperative or infinitive form: 'Rest assured, we will handle it.' / 'You can rest assured that...'
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