👥 The others 🛌 To relax 🛌 A break 🎯 To depend 🤲 To place gently 🕊️ Death 🪑 A support ⏸️ To stay unchanged 🎵 A silence symbol

rest

138 8.8

A peaceful state of being dead after life ends

noun
/rɛst/

Formal

: descanso

Or should I say, may they rest in peace.
laid to rest
rest in peace
eternal rest

Examples

May perpetual light shine upon him and may he rest in eternal peace.
May her soul and the souls of all the dead rest in peace.

Tears of the Sun (2003)
And then then we can finally rest in peace.
Once the body is laid to rest, the idea of death is left behind.

Academic text (2012)
Rest in peace, Raymond Cocteau.

Demolition Man (1993)
But someone prayed we'd rest in peace.
When everything falls silent, even eternal rest, and things no longer weep for us.

Academic text (2011)
During the ceremony, we gathered to remember him and say, may he rest in peace.
The eulogy ended with a heartfelt wish that they may always rest in eternal peace.
At the graveside, friends and family shared their love, hoping he would rest peacefully.

Synonyms

death

vsrest

∞ 1.0

The end of a living thing's life

is a euphemistic, peaceful framing rather than a direct factual term

eternal rest

vsrest

Formal

5 7.1

A peaceful state after death that lasts forever

is a gentle image of final peaceful calm rather than a blunt term

quietus

vsrest

Archaic

1 9.9

A peaceful rest after death often used in poems

is a softer everyday metaphor rather than a literary label

eternal sleep

vsrest

Literature

8.2

A gentle way to talk about death as a peaceful, long sleep

is a more common everyday euphemism rather than a poetic image

Antonyms

life

∞ 1.0

The time from birth to death when a person is alive

birth

313 1.0

The start of something new, for example a life or an era

Idioms

to rest assured

Formal

35 3.7

Be sure that something will happen, so do not worry

to rest my case

Informal

11 6.5

To say you have finished and proved your point

to rest on one's laurels

Informal

7 7.7

To stop trying to improve after past success

at rest

7 2.4

Someone or something that is quiet and still and not moving

at rest

Formal

3 6.1

People say someone is not alive in a gentle, respectful way

the rest is history

Informal

2 4.4

People say this when what happens next is well known

rest his soul

Archaic

1 9.0

People say it to show respect for a man who has died

at rest

Specialized

1 5.1

Stored information that is not being sent or used

may he rest in peace

Formal

6.6

A wish that a dead man finds peace after death

no rest for the weary

8.2

Tired people must keep working or dealing with problems without a break

no rest for the wicked

Informal

7.6

People say this when they have a lot of work and little rest

rest in piss

Offensive

9.9

A rude, joking way to show dislike for someone or something that is gone

Compounds

rest stop

24 1.8

A place beside a road where people stop to rest, use toilets, or buy food

bed rest

Specialized

16 2.6

Staying in bed for health reasons when a doctor says so

day of rest

8 2.3

A day when people do not work and relax, often for religious reasons

rest home

Archaic

8 3.4

A place where older people live and get care

rest area

7 1.6

A place beside a highway where drivers stop to rest and use toilets

eternal rest

Formal

5 7.1

A peaceful state after death that lasts forever

rest day

4 2.0

A day to relax and not work

rest period

3 2.5

A short time to relax and get energy back

chin rest

Specialized

1 3.7

A small support on a violin or viola that you put your chin on for comfort and stability while playing

rest area

Jargon

1 3.2

A safe place in a game where players heal and save progress

rest house

Archaic

1 4.6

A building where travelers can sleep and rest

rest mass

Specialized

1 7.4

The amount of matter in an object measured when it is not moving, not how heavy it feels

rest-cure

Archaic

1 8.4

A period of bed rest to help someone recover from stress or nervous problems

musket rest

Archaic

9.9

A forked pole about four feet long that supports a musket when you fire it

gun rest

Jargon

9.9

The top board on the side of a wooden boat that makes the side stronger

half rest

Specialized

6.1

A short silence in music that lasts two beats

quarter rest

Specialized

4.7

A music symbol showing silence for one beat

rest energy

Specialized

8.2

Energy equal to a particle's mass when it is not moving, calculated as mass times the speed of light squared

rest-harrow

9.9

A plant with tough roots and pink or purple flowers

whole rest

Specialized

4.0

A silent part in music that usually lasts four beats

Surface Forms

rest singular

rests plural

Etymology

Rest for death comes from the image of a final, peaceful 'sleep' in old English ræst. Saying someone has gone to their rest is a gentle way to say they have reached a peaceful end.