rest

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
rest1

▶verb

• 1 cease work or movement in order to relax or recover strength.

  ■ allow to be inactive in order to regain strength or health.

  ■ (of a problem or subject) be left without further investigation or discussion.

• 2 place or be placed so as to stay in a specified position.

  ■ lie buried.

  ■ (rest on) (of a look) alight or be steadily directed on.

• 3 (rest on) be based on; depend on.

  ■ (rest something in/on) place hope, trust, or confidence in or on.

  ■ be the responsibility of or belong to a specified person: ultimate control rested with the founders.

• 4 N. Amer. conclude the case for the prosecution or defence in a court of law.

▶noun

• 1 an instance or period of resting.

  ■ a motionless state.

• 2 Music an interval of silence of a specified duration.

  ■ the sign denoting this.

  ■ a pause in speech or verse.

• 3 an object that is used to hold or support something.

– phrases
rest one's case conclude one's presentation of evidence and arguments in a lawsuit.

– origin OE ræst, rest (n.), ræstan, restan (v.), of Gmc origin, from a root meaning ‘league’ or ‘mile’ (referring to a distance after which one rests).

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
rest2

▶noun

• 1 the remaining part of something.

  ■ [treated as pl.] the remaining people or things; the others.

• 2 Anatomy a small, detached portion of an organ or tissue.

• 3 a rally in real tennis.

▶verb remain or be left in a specified condition: rest assured we will do everything we can.

– origin ME: from OFr. reste (n.), rester (v.), from L. restare ‘remain’.