repose

Meaning

Verb

1. (also, archaic, figuratively, transitive) To lay (someone, or part of their body) down to rest.
2. (archaic, reflexive, transitive) To rest (oneself), especially by going to sleep.
3. (archaic, reflexive, transitive) Followed by from or (obsolete) of: to cause (oneself) to take a rest from some activity; also, to allow (oneself) to recover from some activity.
4. (also, figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To give (someone) rest; to refresh (someone) by giving rest.
5. (obsolete, reflexive, transitive) To cause (oneself) to have faith in or rely on someone or something.
6. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To give (someone) accommodation for the night.
7. (also, figuratively, intransitive) To lean or recline, sit down, or lie down to rest; to rest.
8. (also, figuratively, intransitive) To lean or recline, sit down, or lie down to rest; to rest.
9. (intransitive) Followed by on or upon: of a thing: to lie or be physically positioned on something, especially horizontally; to rest on or be supported by something.
10. (intransitive) Followed by on or upon: of light, a look, etc.: to fall or rest (and often remain for a while) on something; to alight, to dwell.
11. (intransitive) Followed by on or upon: to be based on; to depend or rely on.
12. (also, archaic, figuratively, intransitive) To cease activity to rest or recover; also, to have a period free from activity or disturbance.
13. (intransitive, obsolete) To have faith in; to confide, to trust.
14. (intransitive, literary, obsolete, poetic) To lie still and unmoving.

Noun

1. (uncountable) Temporary cessation from activity to rest and recover, especially in the form of sleep; rest; (countable) an instance of this; a break, a rest; a sleep.
2. (broadly, uncountable) Temporary cessation from activity to rest and recover, especially in the form of sleep; rest; (countable) an instance of this; a break, a rest; a sleep.
3. (broadly, countable) Temporary cessation from activity to rest and recover, especially in the form of sleep; rest; (countable) an instance of this; a break, a rest; a sleep.
4. (uncountable) The state of being peacefully inactive or relaxed, or being free from disturbances or worries; calmness, ease, peace, quietness.
5. (uncountable) Calmness of the mind or temperament; composure.
6. (uncountable) Of the face, a muscle, etc.: the state of being relaxed and not in tension.
7. (uncountable) The state of lying still and unmoving; calmness, tranquillity; (countable) an instance of this.
8. (archaic, uncountable) Relief or respite from something exhausting or unpleasant; (countable) an instance of this.
9. (archaic, uncountable) Confidence, faith, or trust in something.
10. (uncountable) The arrangement of elements of an artwork, a building, etc., that is restful and soothing to a viewer; harmony.
11. (uncountable) The state of leaving something alone or untouched; (countable) an instance of this.
12. (uncountable) Chiefly in the form point of repose, position of repose, etc.: absence of motion; equilibrium; (countable) a position where an object is not moving and at rest.
13. (uncountable) Of a natural phenomenon, especially the eruption of a volcano: the state of temporary cessation of activity; dormancy, quiescence.
14. (countable, obsolete) A piece of furniture on which one can rest, especially a couch or sofa.
15. (countable, obsolete) A place of rest.
16. (obsolete, uncountable) The technique of including in a painting an area or areas which are dark, indistinct, or soft in tone so that other areas are more prominent, or so that a viewer can rest they eyes when looking at them; (countable) such an area of a painting.

Synonyms

rest

peace

☮️

tranquillity

relaxation

serenity

relax

take rest

quiet

calm

sleep

😴

calmness

tranquility

stillness

peacefulness

lie down

ease

lie

lay

recline

placidity

silence

quietness

respite

hush

take a rest

recess

quietude

comfort

break

leisure

perch

deposit

take it easy

feel at ease

constitute

immobility

set

slumber

trust

composure

heartsease

put down

quiescence

put

pause

lull

make

reside

peace of mind

intermission

Translations

repos

reposo

riposo

rust

repouso

Ruhe

reposer

rusten

ruhen

descanso

se reposer

tranquillité

tranquilidad

descansar

sosiego

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹɪˈpəʊz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: reposen

Cognate with French: reposer

Inherited from Middle English: repose

Cognate with French: repos

Cognate with Catalan: reposar

Cognate with Italian: riposare

Cognate with Old Provençal: repausar

Cognate with Portuguese: repousar

Cognate with Spanish: reposar

Cognate with French: poser

In summary

The verb is derived from Middle English reposen (“to rest”), from Anglo-Norman reposer, reposir, and Middle French reposer, from Old French reposer, repauser (“to become calm; to be peaceful; to rest; to be immobile; to lie or be placed; to cease, stop; to neglect”) (modern French reposer), from Latin repausāre, the present active infinitive of repausō (“(Late Latin) to be at rest; to lie down, rest; to sleep; to calm, pacify; (Latin) to halt temporarily, pause”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again; back, backwards’) + pausō (“to cease, halt; to pause”) (from pausa (“a halt, stop; a pause; an end”), from Ancient Greek παῦσῐς (paûsĭs, “ceasing, stopping”), from παύω (paúō, “to cease; to make to cease, stop; to bring to an end; to hinder”) (further etymology uncertain; possibly from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂w- (“few, little; smallness”)) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result)).
The noun is derived from Late Middle English repose, from Anglo-Norman repous, repos, and Middle French repos, repose, from Old French repos (“calm; rest; period or state of sleep; state of immobility; state of inaction”) (modern French repos), from reposer, repauser (verb) (see above).
Noun sense 12.3 (“technique of including in a painting an area or areas which are dark, indistinct, or soft in tone”) is borrowed from French repos.
Cognates
Catalan reposar (verb), repòs (noun)
Italian riposare (verb), riposo (noun)
Old Occitan repausar, repauzar (verb), repaus (noun)
Portuguese repousar (verb), repouso (noun)
Spanish reposar (verb), reposo (noun)