# rest

/ˈɹɛst/ (US) · /ɹˈɛst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rest
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. relaxation or sleep

noun · CEFR A2

a period of time when you relax, sleep, or stop working to get your energy back.

For teachers: a period of inactivity or sleep intended to recover physical or mental energy.

- You look tired; you should go home and get some rest.
- After a grueling fourteen-hour shift, the medical staff finally had a brief opportunity for some much-needed rest.

### 2. the remainder

noun · CEFR A2

the part of something that is left over, or the other people in a group.

For teachers: the remaining part, portion, or number of something; the others.

- I finished half of the cake, and my brother ate the rest.
- While the initial findings were promising, the rest of the data suggested that the experiment required further calibration.

Usage: Always used with 'the' and often followed by 'of'.

### 4. music pause

noun · CEFR B1

a silence in music, or the symbol that shows where the music stops for a moment.

For teachers: an interval of silence in a musical composition, or the notation representing such a pause.

- The pianist held the rest for two beats before starting the next section.
- The composer utilized a series of dramatic rests to build tension before the final orchestral crescendo.

### 5. to relax or stop working

verb · CEFR A2

to stop doing an activity so that you can become stronger or calmer.

For teachers: to cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength.

- The hikers decided to rest by the river for twenty minutes.
- The coach advised the athletes to rest their muscles for at least forty-eight hours between intensive training sessions.

### 6. to lean or place on

verb · CEFR B1

to lean something against a support, or to lie on something.

For teachers: to lean, lie, or be supported by something; to place an object in a supported position.

- She rested her elbows on the table and listened to the story.
- The heavy marble slab rests upon four ornate bronze pillars, each carved with intricate floral patterns.

### 7. to depend on

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to be based on something or to depend on it.

For teachers: to be based on or grounded in something; to depend on a particular factor for success.

- The success of the project rests on everyone working together.
- The entire legal argument rests on the interpretation of a single clause within the 1988 treaty.

### 8. to finish a legal case

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to finish presenting your side of a story in a court of law.

For teachers: to conclude the presentation of evidence in a court case.

- The lawyer said, 'The defense rests,' and sat down.
- After calling their final witness to the stand, the prosecution announced that they would rest their case.

Usage: Usually used in the phrase 'the prosecution/defense rests'.

## Examples

- You look tired, so you should take a short rest.
- After hiking for three hours, the group found a flat rock and stopped for a well-deserved rest.
- The doctor emphasized that complete bed rest was the only way to ensure the injury healed without further complications or long-term inflammation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.