REST

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rest mean? 

• REST (noun)
  The noun REST has 7 senses:

1. something left after other parts have been taken away
2. freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility)
3. a pause for relaxation
4. a state of inaction
5. euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb)
6. a support on which things can be put
7. a musical notation indicating a silence of a specified duration

  Familiarity information: REST used as a noun is common.

• REST (verb)
  The verb REST has 11 senses:

1. not move; be in a resting position
2. take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
3. give a rest to
4. have a place in relation to something else
5. be at rest
6. stay the same; remain in a certain state
7. be inherent or innate in
8. put something in a resting position, as for support or steadying
9. sit, as on a branch
10. rest on or as if on a pillow
11. be inactive, refrain from acting

  Familiarity information: REST used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REST (noun)

Sense 1

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Something left after other parts have been taken away

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

rest; residuum; residual; remainder; residue; balance

Context examples:

there was no remainder / he threw away the rest / he took what he wanted and I got the balance

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

component; component part; part; portion (something determined in relation to something that includes it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rest"):

leftover; remnant (a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists)

Sense 2

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

repose; rest; ease; relaxation

Context example:

took his repose by the swimming pool

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rest"):

bed rest; bedrest (confinement to bed continuously (as in the case of some sick or injured persons))

laziness (relaxed and easy activity)

lie-in (a long stay in bed in the morning)

dormancy; quiescence; quiescency; sleeping (quiet and inactive restfulness)

leisure (freedom to choose a pastime or enjoyable activity)

Sense 3

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A pause for relaxation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

rest period; rest; respite; relief

Context example:

people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

break; intermission; interruption; pause; suspension (a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rest"):

breath; breather; breathing place; breathing space; breathing spell; breathing time (a short respite)

Sense 4

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A state of inaction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

a body will continue in a state of rest until acted upon

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

inaction; inactiveness; inactivity (the state of being inactive)

Sense 5

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

eternal rest; eternal sleep; quietus; sleep; rest

Context examples:

she was laid to rest beside her husband / they had to put their family pet to sleep

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

death (the absence of life or state of being dead)

Sense 6

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A support on which things can be put

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

the gun was steadied on a special rest

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

support (any device that bears the weight of another thing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rest"):

headrest (a rest for the head)

chin rest (a rest on which a violinist can place the chin)

armrest (a support for the arm)

Sense 7

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A musical notation indicating a silence of a specified duration

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rest" is a kind of...):

musical notation (a notation used by musicians)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rest"):

whole rest (a musical rest equal in duration to four beats in common time)

half rest (a musical rest having the time value of half a whole rest or equal in duration to two beats in common time)

quarter rest (a musical rest having one-fourth the time value of a whole rest)

• REST (verb)

Sense 1

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Not move; be in a resting position

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rest"):

kneel (rest one's weight on one's knees)

stand; stand up (be standing; be upright)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue rest

Also:

rest on (rest on for support)

rest on (be based on; of theories and claims, for example)

Sense 2

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

take a breather; catch one's breath; rest; breathe

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

break; intermit; pause (cease an action temporarily)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue rest

Sense 3

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Give a rest to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context examples:

He rested his bad leg / Rest the dogs for a moment

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rest"):

blow (allow to regain its breath)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Also:

rest (take a short break from one's activities in order to relax)

Sense 4

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Have a place in relation to something else

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

rest; lie

Context examples:

The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West / The responsibility rests with the Allies

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

be (occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 5

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be at rest

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

recline; recumb; repose (lean in a comfortable resting position)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rest"):

catch some Z's; kip; log Z's; sleep; slumber (be asleep)

drowse (be on the verge of sleeping)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue rest

Antonym:

be active (be in a state of action)

Sense 6

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Stay the same; remain in a certain state

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

remain; stay; rest

Context examples:

The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it / rest assured / stay alone / He remained unmoved by her tears / The bad weather continued for another week

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rest"):

be (to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form)

keep; stay fresh (fail to spoil or rot)

stand (remain inactive or immobile)

stay together; stick together (be loyal to one another, especially in times of trouble)

sit tight (maintain the same position; wait it out)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s Adjective

Sense 7

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be inherent or innate in

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

repose; reside; rest

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

attach to; inhere in (be part of)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Sense 8

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Put something in a resting position, as for support or steadying

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Rest your head on my shoulder

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They rest their rifles on the cabinet

Sense 9

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Sit, as on a branch

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

roost; perch; rest

Context example:

The birds perched high in the tree

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

sit; sit down (be seated)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

Some big birds rest in the tree
There rest some big birds in the tree

Sense 10

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Rest on or as if on a pillow

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pillow; rest

Context example:

pillow your head

Hypernyms (to "rest" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 11

rest [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be inactive, refrain from acting

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The committee is resting over the summer

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "rest"):

hibernate (be in an inactive or dormant state)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s