1 VERB If you rest or if you rest your body, you do not do anything active for a time. □ [V ] He's tired and exhausted, and has been advised to rest for two weeks. □ [V n] Try to rest the injured limb as much as possible.
2 N‑VAR If you get some rest or have a rest , you do not do anything active for a time. □ 'You're worn out, Laura,' he said. 'Go home and get some rest.'.
3 VERB If something such as a theory or someone's success rests on a particular thing, it depends on that thing. [FORMAL ] □ [V + on/upon ] Such a view rests on a number of incorrect assumptions.
4 VERB If authority, a responsibility, or a decision rests with you, you have that authority or responsibility, or you are the one who will make that decision. [FORMAL ] □ [V + with ] The final decision rested with the President.
5 VERB If you rest something somewhere, you put it there so that its weight is supported. □ [V n prep] He rested his arms on the back of the chair.
6 VERB If something is resting somewhere, or if you are resting it there, it is in a position where its weight is supported. □ [V prep/adv] His head was resting on her shoulder. □ [V n prep/adv] He had been resting his head in his hands, deep in thought.
7 VERB If you rest on or against someone or something, you lean on them so that they support the weight of your body. □ [V prep] He rested on his pickaxe for a while.
8 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A rest is an object that is used to support something, especially your head, arms, or feet. □ When you are sitting, keep your elbow on the arm rest.
9 VERB If your eyes rest on a particular person or object, you look directly at them, rather than somewhere else. [WRITTEN ] □ [V + on/upon ] As she spoke, her eyes rested on his face.
10 → see also rested
11 PHRASE When an object that has been moving comes to rest , it finally stops. [FORMAL ] □ The plane had plowed a path through a patch of forest before coming to rest in a field.
12 PHRASE If you say that someone can rest easy , you mean that they don't need to worry about a particular situation. □ How can any woman rest easy now, knowing her breast cancer may be misdiagnosed?
13 PHRASE If someone tells you to give something a rest, they want you to stop doing it because it annoys them or because they think it is harming you. [INFORMAL ] □ Give it a rest, will you? We're trying to get some sleep.
14 PHRASE If you say that someone who has died is laid to rest , you mean that they are buried. □ His dying wish was to be laid to rest at the church near his home.
15 PHRASE If you lay something such as fears or rumours to rest or if you put them to rest , you succeed in proving that they are not true. □ His speech should lay those fears to rest.
16 PHRASE If someone refuses to let a subject rest , they refuse to stop talking about it, especially after they have been talking about it for a long time. □ I am not prepared to let this matter rest.
17 PHRASE To put someone's mind at rest or set their mind at rest means to tell them something that stops them worrying. □ A brain scan last Friday finally set his mind at rest.
18 rest assured → see assured
19 to rest on your laurels → see laurel
20 to rest in peace → see peace SYNONYMS rest VERB ➋1
relax: For the first time since his arrival he relaxed slightly.
sleep: I've not been able to sleep for the last few nights.
lie down: Why don't you go upstairs and lie down for a bit? COLLOCATIONS rest NOUN ➋2
adjective + rest : adequate, complete, short, well-earned
verb + rest : deserve, enjoy
re st area (rest areas ) N‑COUNT A rest area is a place beside a motorway or freeway where you can buy petrol and other things, or have a meal. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use services
re|start /riː stɑː r t/ (restarts , restarting , restarted ) VERB If you restart something that has been interrupted or stopped, or if it restarts , it starts to happen or function again. □ [V n] The commissioners agreed to restart talks as soon as possible. □ [V ] The trial will restart today with a new jury. ● N‑COUNT Restart is also a noun. □ Four minutes after the restart Arsenal doubled their advantage with a wonderful goal.
re|state /riː ste I t/ (restates , restating , restated ) VERB If you restate something, you say it again in words or writing, usually in a slightly different way. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He continued throughout to restate his opposition to violence.
re|state|ment /riː ste I tmənt/ (restatements ) N‑COUNT A restatement of something that has been said or written is another statement that repeats it, usually in a slightly different form. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] I hope this book is not yet another restatement of the prevailing wisdom.
res|tau|rant ◆◆◇ /re stərɒnt, [AM ] -rənt/ (restaurants ) N‑COUNT A restaurant is a place where you can eat a meal and pay for it. In restaurants your food is usually served to you at your table by a waiter or waitress. □ They ate in an Italian restaurant in Forth Street. COLLOCATIONS restaurant NOUN
noun + restaurant : fast food, fish, pizza, seafood; hotel, staff, theatre