The difference between Rest and Stay

When used as nouns, rest means relief from work or activity by sleeping, whereas stay means continuance or a period of time spent in a place.

When used as verbs, rest means to cease from action, motion, work, or performance of any kind, whereas stay means to prop.


Stay is also adverb with the meaning: steeply.

Stay is also adjective with the meaning: steep.

check bellow for the other definitions of Rest and Stay

  1. Rest as a noun (uncountable, of a [[person]] or [[animal]]):

    Relief from work or activity by sleeping; sleep.

    Examples:

    "I need to get a good rest tonight; I was up late last night."

    "The sun sets, and the workers go to their rest."

  2. Rest as a noun (countable):

    Any relief from exertion; a state of quiet and relaxation.

    Examples:

    "We took a rest at the top of the hill to get our breath back."

  3. Rest as a noun (uncountable):

    Peace; freedom from worry, anxiety, annoyances; tranquility.

    Examples:

    "It was nice to have a rest from the phone ringing when I unplugged it for a while."

  4. Rest as a noun (uncountable, of an [[object]] or [[concept]]):

    A state of inactivity; a state of little or no motion; a state of completion.

    Examples:

    "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."

  5. Rest as a noun (euphemistic, uncountable):

    A final position after death.

    Examples:

    "She was laid to rest in the village cemetery."

  6. Rest as a noun (music, countable):

    A pause of a specified length in a piece of music.

    Examples:

    "Remember there's a rest at the end of the fourth bar."

  7. Rest as a noun (music, countable):

    A written symbol indicating such a pause in a musical score such as in sheet music.

  8. Rest as a noun (physics, uncountable):

    Absence of motion.

    Examples:

    "The body's centre of gravity may affect its state of rest."

  9. Rest as a noun (snooker, countable):

    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.

    Examples:

    "Higgins can't quite reach the white with his cue, so he'll be using the rest."

  10. Rest as a noun (countable):

    Any object designed to be used to support something else.

    Examples:

    "She put the phone receiver back in its rest."

    "He placed his hands on the arm rests of the chair."

  11. Rest as a noun:

    A projection from the right side of the cuirass of armour, serving to support the lance.

  12. Rest as a noun:

    A place where one may rest, either temporarily, as in an inn, or permanently, as, in an abode.

  13. Rest as a noun (poetry):

    A short pause in reading poetry; a caesura.

  14. Rest as a noun:

    The striking of a balance at regular intervals in a running account. Often, specifically, the intervals after which compound interest is added to capital.

  15. Rest as a noun (dated):

    A set or game at tennis.

  1. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To cease from action, motion, work, or performance of any kind; stop; desist; be without motion.

  2. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To come to a pause or an end; end.

  3. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To be free from that which harasses or disturbs; be quiet or still; be undisturbed.

  4. Rest as a verb (intransitive, transitive, reflexive):

    To be or to put into a state of rest.

    Examples:

    "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. Rest assured that I will do my best."

  5. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To stay, remain, be situated.

    Examples:

    "The blame seems to rest with your father."

  6. Rest as a verb (transitive, intransitive, reflexive):

    To lean, lie, or lay.

    Examples:

    "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."

  7. Rest as a verb (intransitive, transitive, legal, US):

    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.)

    Examples:

    "The defense rests, your Honor. I rest my case."

  8. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To sleep; slumber.

  9. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To lie dormant.

  10. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To sleep the final sleep; sleep in death; die; be dead.

  11. Rest as a verb (intransitive):

    To rely or depend on.

    Examples:

    "The decision rests on getting a bank loan."

  12. Rest as a verb:

    To be satisfied; to acquiesce.

  1. Rest as a noun (uncountable):

    That which remains.

    Examples:

    "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."

  2. Rest as a noun:

    Those not included in a proposition or description; the remainder; others.

  3. Rest as a noun (UK, finance):

    A surplus held as a reserved fund by a bank to equalize its dividends, etc.; in the , the balance of assets above liabilities.

  1. Rest as a verb (obsolete):

    To remain.

  1. Rest as a verb (obsolete):

    To arrest.

  1. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To prop; support; sustain; hold up; steady.

  2. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To support from sinking; to sustain with strength; to satisfy in part or for the time.

  3. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To stop; detain; keep back; delay; hinder.

  4. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To restrain; withhold; check; stop.

  5. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To cause to cease; to put an end to.

  6. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To put off; defer; postpone; delay; keep back.

    Examples:

    "The governor stayed the execution until the appeal could be heard."

  7. Stay as a verb (transitive):

    To hold the attention of.

  8. Stay as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To bear up under; to endure; to hold out against; to resist.

  9. Stay as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To wait for; await.

  10. Stay as a verb (transitive, obsolete):

    To remain for the purpose of; to wait for.

  11. Stay as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To rest; depend; rely.

  12. Stay as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To stop; come to a stand or standstill.

  13. Stay as a verb (intransitive, archaic):

    To come to an end; cease.

    Examples:

    "That day the storm stayed."

  14. Stay as a verb (intransitive, archaic):

    To dwell; linger; tarry; wait.

  15. Stay as a verb (intransitive, dated):

    To make a stand; to stand firm.

  16. Stay as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To hold out, as in a race or contest; last or persevere to the end.

    Examples:

    "That horse stays well."

  17. Stay as a verb (intransitive):

    To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.

    Examples:

    "We stayed in Hawaii for a week.  I can only stay for an hour."

  18. Stay as a verb (intransitive, obsolete):

    To wait; rest in patience or expectation.

  19. Stay as a verb (intransitive, obsolete, used with ''on'' or ''upon''):

    To wait as an attendant; give ceremonious or submissive attendance.

  20. Stay as a verb (intransitive):

    To continue to have a particular quality.

    Examples:

    "Wear gloves so your hands stay warm."

  21. Stay as a verb (intransitive, US South, AAVE, colloquial, non-standard):

    To live; reside

    Examples:

    "Hey, where do you stay at?"

  1. Stay as a noun:

    Continuance or a period of time spent in a place; abode for an indefinite time; sojourn.

    Examples:

    "I hope you enjoyed your stay in Hawaii."

  2. Stay as a noun:

    A postponement, especially of an execution or other punishment.

    Examples:

    "The governor granted a stay of execution."

  3. Stay as a noun (archaic):

    A stop; a halt; a break or cessation of action, motion, or progress.

    Examples:

    "stand at a stay"

  4. Stay as a noun:

    A fixed state; fixedness; stability; permanence.

  5. Stay as a noun (nautical):

    A station or fixed anchorage for vessels.

  6. Stay as a noun:

    Restraint of passion; prudence; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety.

  7. Stay as a noun (obsolete):

    Hindrance; let; check.

  1. Stay as a noun:

    A prop; a support.

  2. Stay as a noun:

    A piece of stiff material, such as plastic or whalebone, used to stiffen a piece of clothing.

    Examples:

    "Where are the stays for my collar?"

  3. Stay as a noun:

    (plural) A corset

  4. Stay as a noun (archaic):

    A fastening for a garment; a hook; a clasp; anything to hang another thing on.

  1. Stay as a noun (nautical):

    A strong rope supporting a mast, and leading from one masthead down to some other, or other part of the vessel.

  2. Stay as a noun:

    A guy, rope, or wire supporting or stabilizing a platform, such as a bridge, a pole, such as a tentpole, the mast of a derrick, or other structural element.

    Examples:

    "The engineer insisted on using stays for the scaffolding."

  3. Stay as a noun (chain-cable):

    The transverse piece in a link.

  1. Stay as a verb:

    To brace or support with a stay or stays

    Examples:

    "stay a mast"

  2. Stay as a verb (transitive, nautical):

    To incline forward, aft, or to one side by means of stays.

  3. Stay as a verb (transitive, nautical):

    To tack; put on the other tack.

    Examples:

    "to stay ship"

  4. Stay as a verb (intransitive, nautical):

    To change; tack; go about; be in stays, as a ship.

  1. Stay as an adjective (UK, _, dialectal):

    Steep; ascending.

  2. Stay as an adjective (UK, _, dialectal):

    Steeply pitched.

  3. Stay as an adjective (UK, _, dialectal):

    Difficult to negotiate; not easy to access; sheer.

  4. Stay as an adjective (UK, _, dialectal):

    Stiff; upright; unbending; reserved; haughty; proud.

  1. Stay as an adverb (UK, _, dialectal):

    Steeply.