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Glite Dictionary
🛏️ To be supported 🔗 To depend on
to rest on

to rest on

66 1.0
To put part of your body or an object on something for support
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɛst ɑn/
translation icon : apoyarse en
  • Now oblige me by allowing her head to rest on your shoulder.
  • hand rests on
  • head rests on
  • arm rests on

Transparent clouds pause and rest on the rises.

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Examples

  • Tears filled her eyes, and she rested both palms on the icy window, staring down at Blake.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Find a place where you can sit comfortably, perhaps resting your hands on your knees.

  • And now the TV is actually resting on this tent.

  • We lie side by side afterward, and I have my hand resting on my own heart.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • As she moved into it, her forehead came to rest on his right shoulder.

    Carolina (2003)

  • Diana lay beside me, resting her head on my chest.

  • And my foot, I can feel, is sort of resting on this overstuffed floor mat.

    Doug DeMuro

  • Here's to broad shoulders, leather skin, and a belly I can rest my drink on.

    North Country (2005)

  • His eyes absently roved the room, finally coming to rest on the tall figure of the Earl.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • She gently let her head rest on his shoulder while watching the movie.

Synonyms

to sit
vsto rest on
∞ 1.0

To rest with your weight on your bottom on a seat

describes support by placing part of the body onto another surface
to support
vsto rest on
240 1.0

Hold up something so it does not fall

achieves bearing by placing part onto another surface rather than other means
to rest
vsto rest on
182 1.0

To put something on or against something so it stays steady

is about supporting by putting part onto another surface
to lean against
vsto rest on
85 1.4

To rest your body lightly on something for support

involves placing weight fully onto another surface rather than light leaning
to perch
vsto rest on
67 4.4

To sit or put something on a high narrow place

implies support by placing on a surface that is usually stable and broad
to lean on
vsto rest on
61 1.8

To rest against someone or something for support

involves putting more weight onto another surface rather than light contact
to prop up
vsto rest on
54 3.6

Support something so it does not fall or fail

does support by placing part directly onto another surface
to place down
vsto rest on
1 1.7

Put something on a table or chair so it rests

focuses on supporting by placing part onto another surface

How Supportive

to support
240 1.0
to rest on
66 1.0
to lean on
61 1.8
to touch
∞ 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 real action of putting weight on something, for example you rest your elbows on a table or a picture rests on a shelf. That's why to rest on means 'to support part of your body or an object by putting it on something else'.