to rest on
51
3.7
- phrasal verb
- /rɛst ɑn/
- Your entire future rests on this last project.
- rest on the assumption
- rest on an argument
- rest on the premise
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Watch on YouTubeAll the fundamental physics rests on two pillars.
- All the fundamental physics rests on two pillars.
- Why would you do that if you could just rest on those laurels?
- It's like there's a lot more resting on you than you think.
- Most people don't see it rest on a hard power basis.
- We never rest on our laurels and say I did good.
- And I said this movie rests on your shoulders.
- Neither am I Don't rest on your laurels.
- I'd argue that in psychology, and indeed most magic at rests on psychology, particularly perception.
- Then they come very near to those whose bravery rests on being sanguine.
- And so there's a lot resting on the shoulders of Prince William at the moment.
- The authority of data, charts, the bottom line and bullet points rests on the appeal of processing speed.
Examples
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But actually, it turns out to all be resting on a hill of sand.
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Viable grand strategies need to rest on a wellspring of domestic support.
Academic text (2011) -
The models themselves tend to rest on a somewhat unstable foundation of items.
Academic text (2015) -
You see, the secret of success is to never rest on your laurels.
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A great responsibility rests on each of you.
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So the entire system rests on the stability of the banks, right?
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The success of education abroad rests on the allocation of adequate funding.
Academic text (2011) -
All the fundamental physics rests on two pillars.
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Our survival rests on all species treating each other... with compassion, kindness, and respect.
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The success of her presentation will rest on the clarity of her arguments.
Synonyms
725
1.0
Trust a person or thing to do what you expect
602
1.8
To trust a person or thing to do what you need
490
1.0
To rely on a person or thing for help
477
1.0
Need help or support from something to live
301
3.4
Use something you already have as a base for new work
120
5.9
To depend on someone or something for what happens
38
2.3
Trust someone or something to do what you need
33
3.4
Use something as a base for further work
19
2.5
To trust a person or thing to give support
1
3.9
Base an idea or argument on evidence
1
8.2
To depend on something as the main basis for an idea or argument
How Dependent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'rest' (to be supported or placed) combined with the locative preposition 'on' yields the sense of placing or supporting something on a surface. This verb + preposition pattern is regular in English and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Rest on comes from the simple image of one thing sitting on a base, like a house on its foundation or a book on a table. So, if an idea rests on facts, it 'depends on' those facts.