Rest
v.calm, resilienteveryday
Meaning 1
To stop activity and allow body or mind to recover.
Reach for it when describing necessary recovery rather than laziness or avoidance
The porters rested in the shade before the steep descent.
Choose between these
5- everyday
pause
when activity stops briefly
not when A pause may be too short to restore energy.
- everyday
when easing tension is the desired result
not when Relaxing need not involve stopping activity.
- everyday
sleep
when unconscious bodily restoration is meant
not when Rest can be wakeful and still effective.
- formal
when recovery after illness or severe strain is central
not when Recuperation is more serious than ordinary rest.
- literary
when quiet dignified rest suits the prose
not when Repose is too elevated for practical advice.
Meaning 2
To be supported by or depend on something.
Reach for it when describing the foundation on which a claim, weight, or responsibility depends
The recommendation rests on three independent measurements.
Choose between these
4- everyday
sit
when an object is physically supported on a surface
not when Sit describes position, not justification or responsibility.
- professional
be based
when evidence or principles form the foundation
not when This phrase does not suit physical weight.
- professional
depend
when an outcome requires a condition
not when Depend expresses contingency rather than physical support.
- professional
rely
when trust in support is central
not when Rely usually takes an active subject and may imply confidence.
Said against
4- work
- exert
- float
- lack basis
It naturally appears in
4- rest properly
Athletes need to rest properly after repeated sprint work.
- rest for a while
We can rest for a while beside the marked spring.
- rest on evidence
Every public claim should rest on evidence.
- responsibility rests
Final responsibility rests with the elected board.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense 1: cease work or movement to relax or recover opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English verb sense 2: be supported by or based on opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.