Sit vs. Rest: What's the Difference?
Sit and Rest Definitions
Sit
To rest with the torso vertical and the body supported on the buttocks.
Rest
A period of inactivity, relaxation, or sleep:The hikers stopped for a rest.
Sit
To rest with the hindquarters lowered onto a supporting surface. Used of animals.
Rest
Sleep or the refreshment resulting from inactivity or sleep:Get plenty of rest before the race.
Sit
To perch. Used of birds.
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Rest
The repose of death:eternal rest.
Sit
To cover eggs for hatching; brood.
Rest
Mental or emotional calm:The news put my mind at rest.
Sit
To be situated or located
A house that sits on a hill.
Rest
The state of being motionless; the absence of motion:The car accelerates quickly from a state of rest.
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Sit
To lie or rest
Dishes were sitting on a shelf. See Usage Note at set1.
Rest
The condition of being settled or resolved:a remark that put the matter to rest.
Sit
To pose for an artist or photographer.
Rest
An interval of silence corresponding to one of the possible time values within a measure.
Sit
To occupy a seat as a member of a body of officials
Sit in Congress.
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Rest
The mark or symbol indicating such a pause and its length.
Sit
To be in session.
Rest
A short pause in a line of poetry; a caesura.
Sit
To remain inactive or unused
Her expensive skis sat gathering dust.
Rest
A device used as a support:a back rest.
Sit
To affect one with or as if with a burden; weigh
Official duties sat heavily upon the governor.
Rest
(Games)See bridge1.
Sit
To fit, fall, or drape in a specified manner
The jacket sits perfectly on you.
Rest
The part that is left over after something has been removed; remainder.
Sit
To be agreeable to one; please
The idea didn't sit well with any of us.
Rest
That or those remaining
The beginning was boring, but the rest was interesting. The rest are arriving later.
Sit
Chiefly British To take an examination, as for a degree.
Rest
A support for a lance on the side of the breastplate of medieval armor.
Sit
To blow from a particular direction. Used of the wind.
Rest
To cease motion, work, or activity, especially in order to become refreshed:The laborers rested in the shade.
Sit
To keep watch or take care of a child.
Rest
To lie down and sleep:rested for an hour on the couch.
Sit
To cause to sit; seat
Sit yourself over there.
Rest
To be in or come to a motionless state:The can rolled along, finally resting when it hit the curb.
Sit
To keep one's seat on (an animal)
She sits her horse well.
Rest
To be located or be in a specified place:The manuscript rests in the museum.
Sit
To sit on (eggs) for the purpose of hatching.
Rest
To be fixed or directed on something:His gaze rested on the necklace.
Sit
To provide seating accommodation for
A theater that sits 1,000 people.
Rest
To be unchanged or unresolved:After arguing for an hour, we let the matter rest.
Sit
The act of sitting.
Rest
To be supported or based; lie, lean, or sit:The ladder rests firmly anst the tree.
Sit
A period of time spent sitting.
Rest
To be imposed or vested, as a responsibility or burden:The final decision rests with the crperson.
Sit
The way in which an article of clothing, such as a dress or jacket, fits.
Rest
To depend or rely:That argument rests on a false assumption.
Sit
To be in a position in which the upper body is upright and supported by the buttocks.
After a long day of walking, it was good just to sit and relax.
Rest
(Law)To complete the n presentation of one's portion of a legal case:The defense rests.
Sit
To move oneself into such a position.
I asked him to sit.
Rest
To cause or allow to be inactive or relaxed so as to ren energy:The coach rested his best players. I rested my eyes before studying.
Sit
To occupy a given position.
The temple has sat atop that hill for centuries.
Jim's pet parrot sat on his left shoulder.
Rest
To place, lay, or lean, as for support or repose:rested the rake anst the fence.
Sit
To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
Rest
To base or ground:I rested my conclusion on that fact.
Sit
(government) To be a member of a deliberative body.
I currently sit on a standards committee.
Rest
To fix or direct (the gaze, for example).
Sit
Of a legislative or, especially, a judicial body such as a court, to be in session.
In what city is the circuit court sitting for this session.
Rest
(Law)To complete the n presentation of (one's portion of a case):The prosecutor was not ready to rest her case.
Sit
To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh.
Rest
To be or continue to be; remain
Rest assured that we will finish on time.
Sit
To be adjusted; to fit.
Your new coat sits well.
Rest
To remain or be left over.
Sit
To be accepted or acceptable; to work.
How will this new contract sit with the workers?
I don’t think it will sit well.
The violence in these video games sits awkwardly with their stated aim of educating children.
Rest
Relief from work or activity by sleeping; sleep.
I need to get a good rest tonight; I was up late last night.
The sun sets, and the workers go to their rest.
Sit
To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to.
Sit him in front of the TV and he might watch for hours.
Rest
(countable) Any relief from exertion; a state of quiet and relaxation.
We took a rest at the top of the hill to get our breath back.
Sit
(transitive) To accommodate in seats; to seat.
The dining room table sits eight comfortably.
Rest
(uncountable) Peace; freedom from worry, anxiety, annoyances; tranquility.
It was nice to have a rest from the phone ringing when I unplugged it for a while.
Sit
To babysit.
I'm going to sit for them on Thursday.
I need to find someone to sit my kids on Friday evening for four hours.
Rest
A state of inactivity; a state of little or no motion; a state of completion.
The boulder came to rest just behind the house after rolling down the mountain.
The ocean was finally at rest.
Now that we're all in agreement, we can put that issue to rest.
Sit
To take, to undergo or complete (an examination or test).
Rest
A final position after death.
She was laid to rest in the village cemetery.
Sit
To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate.
Rest
A pause of a specified length in a piece of music.
Remember there's a rest at the end of the fourth bar.
Sit
To take a position for the purpose of having some artistic representation of oneself made, such as a picture or a bust.
I'm sitting for a painter this evening.
Rest
A written symbol indicating such a pause in a musical score such as in sheet music.
Sit
To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a relative position; to have direction.
Rest
Absence of motion.
The body's centre of gravity may affect its state of rest.
Sit
To keep one's seat when faced with (a blow, attack); to endure, to put up with.
Rest
A stick with a U-, V- or X-shaped head used to support the tip of a cue when the cue ball is otherwise out of reach.
Higgins can't quite reach the white with his cue, so he'll be using the rest.
Sit
(mining) Subsidence of the roof of a coal mine.
Rest
(countable) Any object designed to be used to support something else.
She put the phone receiver back in its rest.
He placed his hands on the arm rests of the chair.
Sit
An event, usually lasting one full day or more, where the primary goal is to sit in meditation.
Rest
A projection from the right side of the cuirass of armour, serving to support the lance.
Sit
To rest upon the haunches, or the lower extremity of the trunk of the body; - said of human beings, and sometimes of other animals; as, to sit on a sofa, on a chair, or on the ground.
And he came and took the book put of the right hand of him that sate upon the seat.
I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner.
Rest
A place where one may rest, either temporarily, as in an inn, or permanently, as, in an abode.
Sit
To perch; to rest with the feet drawn up, as birds do on a branch, pole, etc.
Rest
(poetry) A short pause in reading poetry; a caesura.
Sit
To remain in a state of repose; to rest; to abide; to rest in any position or condition.
And Moses said to . . . the children of Reuben, Shall your brothren go to war, and shall ye sit here?
Like a demigod here sit I in the sky.
Rest
The striking of a balance at regular intervals in a running account. Often, specifically, the intervals after which compound interest is added to capital.
Sit
To lie, rest, or bear; to press or weigh; - with on; as, a weight or burden sits lightly upon him.
The calamity sits heavy on us.
Rest
(dated) A set or game at tennis.
Sit
To be adjusted; to fit; as, a coat sts well or ill.
This new and gorgeous garment, majesty,Sits not so easy on me as you think.
Rest
(uncountable) That which remains.
She ate some of the food, but was not hungry enough to eat it all, so she put the rest in the refrigerator to finish later.
Sit
To suit one well or ill, as an act; to become; to befit; - used impersonally.
Rest
Those not included in a proposition or description; the remainder; others.
Sit
To cover and warm eggs for hatching, as a fowl; to brood; to incubate.
As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not.
Rest
A surplus held as a reserved fund by a bank to equalize its dividends, etc.; in the Bank of England, the balance of assets above liabilities.
Sit
To have position, as at the point blown from; to hold a relative position; to have direction.
Like a good miller that knows how to grind, which way soever the wind sits.
Sits the wind in that quarter?
Rest
(intransitive) To cease from action, motion, work, or performance of any kind; stop; desist; be without motion.
Sit
To occupy a place or seat as a member of an official body; as, to sit in Congress.
Rest
(intransitive) To come to a pause or an end; end.
Sit
To hold a session; to be in session for official business; - said of legislative assemblies, courts, etc.; as, the court sits in January; the aldermen sit to-night.
Rest
(intransitive) To be free from that which harasses or disturbs; be quiet or still; be undisturbed.
Sit
To take a position for the purpose of having some artistic representation of one's self made, as a picture or a bust; as, to sit to a painter.
Rest
To be or to put into a state of rest.
My day's work is over; now I will rest.
We need to rest the horses before we ride any further.
I shall not rest until I have uncovered the truth.
Sit
To sit upon; to keep one's seat upon; as, he sits a horse well.
Hardly the muse can sit the headstrong horse.
Rest
(intransitive) To stay, remain, be situated.
The blame seems to rest with your father.
Sit
To cause to be seated or in a sitting posture; to furnish a seat to; - used reflexively.
They sat them down to weep.
Sit you down, father; rest you.
Rest
To lean, lie, or lay.
A column rests on its pedestal.
I rested my head in my hands.
She rested against my shoulder.
I rested against the wall for a minute.
Sit
To suit (well or ill); to become.
Rest
To complete one's active advocacy in a trial or other proceeding, and thus to wait for the outcome (however, one is still generally available to answer questions, etc.)
The defense rests, your Honor.
I rest my case.
Sit
Be standing; be upright;
We had to stand for the entire performance!
Rest
(intransitive) To sleep; slumber.
Sit
Sit around, often unused;
The object sat in the corner
Rest
(intransitive) To lie dormant.
Sit
Take a seat
Rest
(intransitive) To sleep the final sleep; sleep in death; die; be dead.
Sit
Be in session;
When does the court of law sit?
Rest
(intransitive) To rely or depend on.
The decision rests on getting a bank loan.
Sit
Assume a posture as for artistic purposes;
We don't know the woman who posed for Leonardo so often
Rest
To be satisfied; to acquiesce.
Sit
Sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions;
She never sat a horse!
Did you ever ride a camel?
The girl liked to drive the young mare
Rest
To continue to be, remain, be left in a certain way.
You can rest assured that a sick child will say when it's again ready to eat, so it won't starve and doesn't need to be cajoled into eating.
Sit
Work or act as a baby-sitter;
I cannot baby-sit tonight; I have too much homework to do
Rest
To keep a certain way.
Sit
Show to a seat; assign a seat for;
The host seated me next to Mrs. Smith
Rest
To arrest.
Rest
To arrest.
Rest
To cease from action or motion, especially from action which has caused weariness; to desist from labor or exertion.
God . . . rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest.
Rest
To be free from whanever wearies or disturbs; to be quiet or still.
There rest, if any rest can harbor there.
Rest
To lie; to repose; to recline; to lan; as, to rest on a couch.
Rest
To stand firm; to be fixed; to be supported; as, a column rests on its pedestal.
Rest
To sleep; to slumber; hence, poetically, to be dead.
Fancy . . . then retriesInto her private cell when Nature rests.
Rest
To lean in confidence; to trust; to rely; to repose without anxiety; as, to rest on a man's promise.
On him I rested, after long debate,And not without considering, fixed fate.
Rest
To be satisfied; to acquiesce.
To rest in Heaven's determination.
Rest
To lay or place at rest; to quiet.
Your piety has paidAll needful rites, to rest my wandering shade.
Rest
To place, as on a support; to cause to lean.
Her weary head upon your bosom rest.
Rest
To be left; to remain; to continue to be.
The affairs of men rest still uncertain.
Rest
A state of quiet or repose; a cessation from motion or labor; tranquillity; as, rest from mental exertion; rest of body or mind.
Sleep give thee all his rest!
Rest
Hence, freedom from everything which wearies or disturbs; peace; security.
And the land had rest fourscore years.
Rest
Sleep; slumber; hence, poetically, death.
How sleep the brave who sink to rest,By all their country's wishes blest.
Rest
That on which anything rests or leans for support; as, a rest in a lathe, for supporting the cutting tool or steadying the work.
He made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.
Rest
A projection from the right side of the cuirass, serving to support the lance.
Their visors closed, their lances in the rest.
Rest
A place where one may rest, either temporarily, as in an inn, or permanently, as, in an abode.
In dust our final rest, and native home.
Ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance which the Lord your God giveth you.
Rest
A short pause in reading verse; a cæsura.
Rest
The striking of a balance at regular intervals in a running account.
Rest
A set or game at tennis.
Rest
Silence in music or in one of its parts; the name of the character that stands for such silence. They are named as notes are, whole, half, quarter,etc.
Rest
That which is left, or which remains after the separation of a part, either in fact or in contemplation; remainder; residue.
Religion gives part of its reward in hand, the present comfort of having done our duty, and, for the rest, it offers us the best security that Heaven can give.
Rest
Those not included in a proposition or description; the remainder; others.
Armed like the rest, the Trojan prince appears.
Rest
A surplus held as a reserved fund by a bank to equalize its dividends, etc.; in the Bank of England, the balance of assets above liabilities.
Rest
Something left after other parts have been taken away;
There was no remainder
He threw away the rest
He took what he wanted and I got the balance
Rest
Freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility);
Took his repose by the swimming pool
Rest
A pause for relaxation;
People actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests
Rest
A state of inaction;
A body will continue in a state of rest until acted upon
Rest
Euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb);
She was laid to rest beside her husband
They had to put their family pet to sleep
Rest
A support on which things can be put;
The gun was steadied on a special rest
Rest
A musical notation indicating a silence of a specified duration
Rest
Not move; be in a resting position
Rest
Take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
Rest
Give a rest to;
He rested his bad leg
Rest the dogs for a moment
Rest
Have a place in relation to something else;
The fate of Bosnia lies in the hands of the West
The responsibility rests with the Allies
Rest
Be at rest
Rest
Stay the same; remain in a certain state;
The dress remained wet after repeated attempts to dry it
Rest assured
Stay alone
He remained unmoved by her tears
The bad weather continued for another week
Rest
Be inherent or innate in;
Rest
Put something in a resting position, as for support or steadying;
Rest your head on my shoulder
Rest
Sit, as on a branch;
The birds perched high in the treee
Rest
Rest on or as if on a pillow;
Pillow your head
Rest
Be inactive, refrain from acting;
The committee is resting over the summer
