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to rest on

to rest on

58 3.7
To depend on something like an idea or reason
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɛst ɑn/
translation icon : basarse en
  • Your entire future rests on this last project.
  • rest on the assumption
  • rest on an argument
  • rest on the premise

All the fundamental physics rests on two pillars.

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Examples

  • But actually, it turns out to all be resting on a hill of sand.

  • 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.

  • A great responsibility rests on each of you.

  • So the entire system rests on the stability of the banks, right?

  • The success of education abroad rests on the allocation of adequate funding.

    Academic text (2011)
  • All the fundamental physics rests on two pillars.

  • Our survival rests on all species treating each other... with compassion, kindness, and respect.

  • The success of her presentation will rest on the clarity of her arguments.

Synonyms

to count on
vsto rest on
700 1.8

To trust a person or thing to do what you need

is more about being founded on a reason or support than expectation
to rely on
vsto rest on
602 1.0

Trust a person or thing to do what you expect

focuses instead on being based on reasons or support rather than trust
to depend
vsto rest on
352 1.0

To rely on a person or thing for help

is more about being based on something as a foundation
to depend on
vsto rest on
309 1.0

Need help or support from something to live

is closer to being based on an idea or reason rather than need
to rest
vsto rest on
256 5.9

To depend on someone or something for what happens

expresses the same idea but often highlights basis or support
to build on
vsto rest on
179 3.4

Use something you already have as a base for new work

focuses more on simple dependence rather than building further on it
to found
vsto rest on
  • Formal
110 3.9

Base an idea or argument on evidence

is more general, covering any dependence rather than formal justification
to rely upon
vsto rest on
33 2.3

Trust someone or something to do what you need

is about using something as the underlying basis rather than trusting it
to build upon
vsto rest on
26 3.4

Use something as a base for further work

refers broadly to depending on something for support or reason
to depend upon
vsto rest on
8 2.5

To trust a person or thing to give support

places more weight on being a foundation or basis rather than trust
to repose on
vsto rest on
  • Formal
8.2

To depend on something as the main basis for an idea or argument

is the common phrase for depending on something for support

How Dependent

to hinge on
37 4.2
to rest on
58 3.7
to depend on
309 1.0

Surface Forms

rest on infinitive
rested on past
rested on past participle
resting on present participle
rests on third person singular

Morphology

rest + on

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.