Illustration of rest
- 1 whole
- 2 half
- 3 quarter
- 4 eighth
- 5 sixteenth
1
2
a
: freedom from activity or labor
a 10-minute rest period
needed some rest and relaxation
b
: absence of motion
an object in a state of rest
c
: the repose of death
3
a
: a place for resting or lodging
found their rest under a shade tree
b
: a place for stopping or breathing (such as a landing between flights of a staircase)
4
: peace of mind or spirit
5
a(1)
: a rhythmic silence in music
(2)
: a character representing such a silence
b
: a brief pause in reading
see also:
rested; resting; rests
1
a
: to get rest by lying down
especially
: sleep
b
: to lie dead
2
: to cease from action or motion : refrain from labor or exertion
needed some time to rest
3
: to be free from anxiety or disturbance
4
: to sit or lie fixed or supported
a column rests on its pedestal
5
a
: to remain confident : trust
cannot rest on that assumption
b
: to be based or founded
the verdict rested on several sound precedents
6
: to remain for action or accomplishment
the answer rests with you
7
of farmland
: to remain idle or uncropped
8
: to bring to an end voluntarily the introduction of evidence in a law case
The defense rests.
1
: to give rest to
rested the horses by the stream
You should rest your eyes.
2
: to set at rest
Rest yourself by the fire.
3
: to place on or against a support
rested the bike in the stand
4
: to cause to be firmly fixed
rested all hope in his child
5
: to desist voluntarily from presenting evidence pertinent to (a case at law)
rester
noun
: a projection or attachment on the side of the breastplate of medieval armor for supporting the butt of a lance
Cite this Entry
“Rest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rest. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.
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