I. rest 1 S1 W1 /rest/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ rest , ↑ unrest , ↑ restlessness ; adjective : ↑ restless , ↑ rested , ↑ restful ; adverb : ↑ restlessly , ↑ restfully ; verb : ↑ rest ]
[ Sense 1, 8-9: Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: reste , from rester 'to remain' , from Latin restare ]
[ Sense 2-7, 10-12: Language: Old English ; Origin: 'rest, bed' ]
1 . RELAXING [uncountable and countable] a period of time when you are not doing anything tiring and you can relax or sleep:
You look exhausted! Why don’t you take a rest?
2 . the rest what is left after everything or everyone else has gone or been used, dealt with, or mentioned ⇨ remainder , leftovers :
You carry these two bags, and I’ll bring the rest.
Two of the attackers were killed, and the rest escaped.
the rest of
Does anyone want the rest of this pizza?
He’ll be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
GRAMMAR
Use a singular verb after the rest if you are referring to an amount of something or a thing:
▪
The rest of the money was used to pay for the wedding.
Use a plural verb if you are referring to a group of people or things:
▪
One child goes out of the room while the rest sit in a circle.
3 . put/set sb’s mind at rest to make someone feel less anxious or worried:
Why don’t you talk to him, and put his mind at rest.
4 . come to rest
a) to stop moving:
The aircraft skidded across the runway and finally came to rest in a cornfield.
b) if your eyes come to rest on something, you stop looking around and look at that one thing
come to rest on
My eyes came to rest on a photograph of a young man.
5 . give it a rest spoken especially British English used to tell someone to stop talking about something because they are annoying you:
Give it a rest, Jack!
6 . give something a rest spoken to stop doing an activity:
I gave the acting a rest for a while.
7 . at rest
a) an expression meaning dead, and free from pain and problems
b) technical not moving
8 . and all the rest of it British English spoken used at the end of a short list to mean other things of a similar type:
I was paying the rent and the bills and all the rest of it.
9 . and the rest British English spoken used to emphasize in a humorous way that a number or amount is really much higher than someone thinks:
‘I’d say she’s about 40.’ ‘Yeah, and the rest!’
10 . lay/put something to rest formal to stop people from worrying about or believing something:
The minister resigned, and the government hoped that the scandal would finally be laid to rest.
11 . lay somebody to rest an expression meaning to bury someone, used when you want to avoid saying this directly:
She was laid to rest beside her husband.
12 . MUSIC [countable]
a) a period of silence of a particular length in a piece of music
b) a written sign that shows how long the period of silence should be
⇨ ↑ headrest , ↑ footrest , ↑ backrest , ⇨ and the rest is history at ↑ history (10)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have/take a rest
I’m going upstairs to have a rest.
▪ get some rest
You’d better get some rest if you’re driving back tonight.
▪ deserve a rest
I think we deserve a rest after all that hard work.
■ adjectives
▪ a well-earned/well-deserved rest (=a rest after working hard)
Our players are taking a well-earned rest before the start of the new season.
▪ a complete rest
The doctor had advised a complete rest for a fortnight.
▪ a little/short rest
He decided to stop and take a short rest.
▪ a long rest
What I need is a nice long rest.
▪ a good rest (=a complete rest that relaxes you)
I’m sure you need a good rest.
■ rest + NOUN
▪ a rest day/period
The crew had a three hour rest period before their next flight.
II. rest 2 S3 W3 BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ rest , ↑ unrest , ↑ restlessness ; adjective : ↑ restless , ↑ rested , ↑ restful ; adverb : ↑ restlessly , ↑ restfully ; verb : ↑ rest ]
1 . RELAX [intransitive] to stop working or doing an activity for a time and sit down or lie down to relax:
If you’re tired, we’ll stop and rest for a while.
2 . SUPPORT SOMETHING [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to support an object or part of your body by putting it on or against something, or to be supported in this way ⇨ lean
rest (something) against/on something
Rest your head on my shoulder.
Brassard rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward.
Their bikes were resting against the wall.
3 . rest your feet/legs/eyes etc to stop using a part of your body because it is feeling sore or tired:
I need to sit down and rest my legs.
4 . let the matter rest ( also let it rest ) to stop discussing or dealing with something:
The man apologized, but Aunt Matilda refused to let the matter rest.
5 . rest assured (that) formal used to tell someone not to worry, because what you say about a situation is true:
You may rest assured that it will be ready on time.
6 . somebody will not rest until ... if you will not rest until something happens, you will not be satisfied until it happens:
We will not rest until the murderer is found.
7 . DEAD PERSON [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] literary if a dead person rests somewhere, they are buried there:
My mother rests beside my father in the family graveyard.
sb’s last/final resting place (=the place where someone is buried)
rest in peace (=often written on a grave)
8 . rest on your laurels to be satisfied with what you have done, so that you do not make any further effort
9 . I rest my case spoken
a) formal used by a lawyer when they have finished trying to prove something in a court of law
b) used when something happens or is said which proves that you were right – used humorously
10 . rest easy to relax and stop worrying:
I can rest easy, knowing everything’s under control.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rest to stop working or stop being active, and sit down or lie down so that you become less tired:
If you’re tired, we’ll stop and rest for a while.
|
The doctor told me to take some time off work and try to rest.
▪ take a rest ( also have a rest especially British English ) to stop what you are doing for a period of time so that you can relax:
Murray will now take a rest before the competition next month.
|
There was a TV in the hotel room, and sometimes I escaped up there to have a rest.
|
A spokesman said that the Senator needed to take a rest from the campaign activity.
▪ take a break ( also have a break especially British English ) to stop what you are doing for a short time, so that you can rest or do something else – often used about stopping a meeting, class etc for a short time:
Is it all right if we have a short break at about 10:30?
|
I spoke to the actor as he was taking a break from rehearsals.
|
Let’s take a break now for coffee.
▪ take it easy ( also take things easy ) to do things gently and with less effort than usual, in order to avoid becoming worried or tired, especially because you are not feeling strong or healthy:
After the operation, she decided to take things easy for a month or two.
|
I thought I’d take it easy tonight.
▪ put your feet up informal to rest for a short time after a tiring activity, especially by sitting with your feet resting on something:
Kate poured herself a drink and put her feet up.
|
When you’re pregnant and doing a full-time job, you must find time to put your feet up.
▪ chill/chill out informal to spend time relaxing and doing things that do not need a lot of effort – used by young people:
We chilled out in front of the TV with a couple of beers.
|
I like chilling with the guys and playing pool or watching movies.
rest on/upon something phrasal verb [not in progressive]
1 . formal to depend on something:
Success in management ultimately rests on good judgment.
2 . formal to be based on a particular idea or set of facts:
The case against my client rests entirely on circumstantial evidence.
3 . if your eyes rest on something, you notice it and look at it:
His eyes rested on a small figure in the distance.
rest with somebody phrasal verb [not in progressive]
if a decision rests with someone, they are responsible for it:
The final decision rests with the President.