rest English · revision 3550

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /rest/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|repose}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Old English ræste, Beowulf)|origins=gem-pro *rastō}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Repose is [[inh|enm|reste]], [[inh|ang|ræst|t=rest; bed; resting place]] (also [[m|ang|rest]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[gem-pro|*rastō]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline) Its cognates include [[osx|resta|t=resting place, grave]], [[nl|rust]] and [[de|Rast]];^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) Old High German [[m|goh|rasta]] also meant a league, and [[m|non|rǫst]] and Gothic rasta meant a mile,^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) which suggests, according to the COED and Etymonline, an original sense “distance after which one rests”.^(COED 2004)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) The verb is [[inh|enm|resten]], from [[m|ang|ræstan]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Old English ''ræste'' meant a bed or couch, about 725 in ''Beowulf'' and before 900 in the OED;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) sleep or repose from about 825.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Relief from labour or exertion is from about 888,^(OED 1989) and the repose of death from the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986) ''Go to one's rest'', “go to bed for the night”, is from about 900.^(OED 1989) In music a ''rest'' is a silence of set length, from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986) From the verb, a support or prop is a ''rest'' from the 16th century, first for a firearm.^(Hoad 1986) The verb meant “to take repose, lie in death, cease from motion” and “to lie as upon a support” in Old English.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) In law, ''rest'' meaning “to end the presentation of evidence” is a later use.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''ræste'', a bed (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 825 – sleep, repose.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 888 – a pause from labour.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1121 – Middle English ''reste''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 14th century – the repose of death.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 16th century – a musical rest; a support.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An end of work or activity; [[repose]] or sleep.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Peace or freedom from disturbance.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The repose of [[death]].^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # Absence of motion.^(AHD)

+ # ''(music)'' A silence of a set length, or the sign marking it.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # A support or prop.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stop work or activity; to lie down or sleep.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To be still, quiet or at peace.^(AHD)

+ # To lie, lean or be supported on something; to depend.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To give rest to; to place for support.^(AHD)

+ # ''(law)'' To end the presentation of evidence in a case.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[restful]]

+ * [[restless]]

+ * [[rester]]

+ * [[rest home]]

+ * [[restroom]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|remainder}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1420|origins=la restāre}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The remainder is [[inh|enm|rest]], [[bor|frm|reste|t=remnant]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|frm|rester|t=to remain]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) from [[la|restāre|t=to stand back, be left over]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) formed from [[m|la|re-|t=back]] and [[m|la|stāre|t=to stand]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Etymonline notes that the verb ''rest'', “to remain”, has been largely confused and partly merged with the Germanic ''rest''.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[arrest]] and [[restive]].^(Klein 1966)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ That which remains over, a remainder: about 1420^(OED 1989) or the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A balance of money still due is recorded from 1474, chiefly in Scotland.^(OED 1989) ''The rest'', the remaining part of something, is from 1530, and the remaining persons or things from 1535.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The verb “to remain, continue to be”, as in ''rest assured'', is from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) The reserve fund of a bank, especially the Bank of England, is its ''rest'' from 1844.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1420 – a remainder.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1474 – a balance due (Scotland).^(OED 1989)

+ * late 15th century – verb, to remain (''rest assured'').^(Etymonline)

+ * 1530 – ''the rest'', the remaining part.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1844 – a bank's reserve fund.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The part left over; the [[remainder]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Those remaining; the others.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To remain or continue to be: ''rest assured''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arrest]]

+ * [[restive]]

+ * [[remain]]

+ * [[stand]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''rest'' with ''relaxation'', ''repose'', ''leisure'', ''ease'' and ''comfort'', of which ''rest'' is the least specific.^(AHD) A third ''rest'', the support for a couched lance on medieval armour, is short for ''arrest''.^(SOED 2002)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}