rest

views updated May 21 2018

rest1 / rest/ • v. [intr.] 1. cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength: he needed to rest after the feverish activity | I'm going to rest up before traveling to England. ∎  [tr.] allow to be inactive in order to regain strength, health, or energy: her friend read to her while she rested her eyes. ∎  [tr.] leave (a player) out of a team temporarily: both men were rested for the final game. ∎  (of a dead person or body) lie buried: the king's body rested in his tomb. ∎  (of a problem or subject) be left without further investigation, discussion, or treatment: the council has urged the planning committee not to allow the matter to rest. ∎  [tr.] allow (land) to lie fallow: the field should be grazed or rested. ∎  conclude the case for the prosecution or the defense in a law case: the prosecution rests. See also rest one's case below.2. [intr.] be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position: her elbow was resting on the arm of the sofa. ∎  [tr.] place (something) so that it is supported in a specified position: he rested a hand on her shoulder. ∎  (rest on/upon) (of a look) alight or be steadily directed on: his eyes rested briefly on the boy. ∎  (rest on/upon) be based on or grounded in; depend on: the country's security rested on its alliances. ∎  [tr.] (rest something in/on) place hope, trust, or confidence on or in: she rested her hopes in her attorney. ∎  belong or be located at a specified place or with a specified person: ultimate control rested with the founders.• n. 1. an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity: you look as though you need a rest | a couple of days of complete rest. ∎  refreshment through sleep: she curled up in a corner to get some rest. ∎  a motionless state: the car accelerates rapidly from rest. ∎  Mus. an interval of silence of a specified duration. ∎  Mus. the sign denoting such an interval. ∎  a pause in elocution. ∎  a caesura in verse. ∎  [in place names] a place where people can stay: we spent the night at Riverview Rest.2. [in comb.] an object that is used to support something: a chin-rest a shoulder-rest. ∎  a support or hook for a telephone receiver when not in use. ∎  a support for a cue in billiards or pool.PHRASES: at rest not moving or exerting oneself. ∎  not agitated or troubled; tranquil: he felt at rest, the tension gone. ∎  dead and buried.come to rest stop moving; settle: the elevator came to rest at the first floor.give it a rest inf. used to ask someone to stop doing something or talking about something that the speaker finds irritating or tedious.no rest for the weary see weary.put (or set) someone's mind (or doubts or fears) at rest relieve someone of anxiety or uncertainty; reassure someone.rest one's case conclude one's presentation of evidence and arguments in a lawsuit. ∎ humorous said to show that one believes one has presented sufficient evidence for one's views.rest on one's laurels see laurel.rest (or God rest) his (or her) soul used to express a wish that God should grant someone's soul peace.rest on one's oars see oar.rest2 • n. [in sing.] the remaining part of something: what do you want to do for the rest of your life? | I'll tell you the rest tomorrow night. ∎  [treated as pl.] the remaining people or things; the others: the rest of us were experienced skiers.• v. [intr.] remain or be left in a specified condition: you can rest assured she will do everything she can to help her.PHRASES: and (all) the rest (of it) and everything else that might be mentioned or that one could expect: social security and pension and the rest of it.the rest is history see history.

Rest

views updated May 29 2018

REST

(GR. μονή, ρεμία; Lat. quies, mansio, status ), the opposite of motion. It is the privation of motion in that which is receptive of motion but is not actually being moved. Rest in an initial state (terminus a quo ) is contrary to the motion that proceeds from it, but there is no strict contrariety between motion and rest in a terminating state (terminus ad quem ), since rest is the end and perfection of motion, the state of actuality to which motion tends. Likewise, motion is the cause of rest, and something is not the cause of its contrary. Motion and rest are in the same subject, although not both together.

There is a rest corresponding to each type of motion, so that a being may be in motion in one respect and simultaneously at rest in the possession of some state acquired by a different kind of motion. substantial change is not only absence of change.

Rest is measured by time, not by the indivisible now. Strictly speaking, only motion is measured by time, since time is the number of motion according to before and after. A body in the state of rest is a mobile being, and its repose has come about as the result of a motion and will cease when a contrary motion occurs. The duration of the repose between two such motions is measured by means of the duration of the motion of some other body.

Like motion, rest can be either natural and according to nature or unnatural and forced. Rest can be understood in an extended sense. When an agent ceases acting, it is said to come to rest. The mind rests in contemplation of truth and the appetites in the possession of good. The state of equilibrium is not so much rest as the balancing off of opposite forces. Homeostasis is a state of dynamic equilibrium that tends to maintain itself in living beings.

See Also: motion; reality.

Bibliography: aristotle, Phys., bk. 5, ch. 6. thomas aquinas, In 5 phys. 910.

[m. a. glutz]

rest

views updated May 18 2018

rest.
1. Musical silence.

2. Notation of absence of sound in performer's part for a length of time corresponding to a given number of beats or measures, e.g. 4 measures’ rest or an 8th-note rest. Notation of rests is as shown:

The  rest hangs down; the  rest remains on the surface. (Imagine the rest of greater value is the heavier.)

The  rest  turns to the right (mnemonic: cRotchet—Right; or quaRter Note—Right); the ♪ rest  turns to the left.

In addition to the above there is the double-note rest, occupying the whole space between two lines— .

Also, the whole-note rest is used as a whole-measure rest, irrespective of the actual time-value of the measure.

A silence of several measures is often indicated thus (or in some similar way):

Rests can be dotted and doubly dotted, as notes are, and with the same effect: this, however, is less commonly done.

See also note values.

rest

views updated May 18 2018

rest1
A. relief from activity by sleep, intermission of labour, repose of body or mind OE.; repose of death XIV; (mus.) XVI.

B. (from the vb.) support for a fire-arm XVI; gen. support XVII. OE. ræst, rest repose, bed, corr. to OS. rasta place of rest, OHG. rasta rest, league (G. rast), ON. rǫst. Goth. rasta mile (as a distance after which one rests).
So rest vb.1 take or be at rest; remain OE.; give rest to XIII. OE. ræstan, restan = OHG. resten, rastōn (G. rasten). Hence restful XIV, restless OE. restlēas.

rest

views updated May 17 2018

rest2 †remainder, remnant; †sum remaining over (XV; reserve fund of a bank XIX); remaining part, number, members XVI. — (O)F. reste, f. rester (whence rest vb.2 remain so-and-so) — L. restāre, f. RE- + stāre STAND.

Rest

views updated May 18 2018

REST

To cease motion, exertion, or labor.

In a lawsuit, a party is said to "rest," or "rest her case," when that party indicates that she has produced all the evidence that she intends to offer at that stage and submits the case either finally, or subject to the right to offer rebutting evidence after her opponent has introduced her evidence.

rest

views updated May 29 2018

rest3 in medieval armour, contrivance fixed to the cuirass to receive the butt-end of a lance. XIV. Aphetic of ARREST sb.