Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act or state of reposing; inaction; a lying at rest; sleep; rest.
  • noun Freedom from disturbance of any kind; tranquillity.
  • noun Settled composure; natural or habitual dignity and calmness of manner and action.
  • noun Cause of rest; that which gives repose; a rest; a pause.
  • noun In a work of art, dependence for effect entirely upon inherent excellence, all meretricious effect of gaudiness of color or exaggeration of attitude being avoided; a general moderation or restraint of color and treatment; an avoidance of obtrusive tints and of violent action.
  • noun =Syn. 1–3. Quiet, Tranquillity, etc. (see rest), quietness.
  • To lay (a thing) at rest; lay by; lay up; deposit.
  • To lay at rest; refresh by rest: with reference to a person, and often used reflexively.
  • To cause to be calm or quiet; tranquilize; compose.
  • To lay, place, or rest, as confidence or trust.
  • To lie or be at rest; take rest; sleep.
  • To rest in confidence; rely: followed by on or upon.
  • Synonyms To recline, settle, slumber. See rest, intransitive verb

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A lying at rest; sleep; rest; quiet.
  • noun Rest of mind; tranquillity; freedom from uneasiness; also, a composed manner or deportment.
  • noun (Poetic) A rest; a pause.
  • noun (Fine Arts) That harmony or moderation which affords rest for the eye; -- opposed to the scattering and division of a subject into too many unconnected parts, and also to anything which is overstrained.
  • noun (Physics) the inclination of a plane at which a body placed on the plane would remain at rest, or if in motion would roll or slide down with uniform velocity; the angle at which the various kinds of earth will stand when abandoned to themselves.
  • transitive verb obsolete To cause to stop or to rest after motion; hence, to deposit; to lay down; to lodge; to reposit.
  • transitive verb To lay at rest; to cause to be calm or quiet; to compose; to rest, -- often reflexive.
  • transitive verb To place, have, or rest; to set; to intrust.
  • intransitive verb To lie at rest; to rest.
  • intransitive verb Figuratively, to remain or abide restfully without anxiety or alarms.
  • intransitive verb To lie; to be supported; as, trap reposing on sand.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun dated rest, sleep
  • noun quietness, ease; peace, calmness
  • noun geology period between eruptions of a volcano.
  • verb To lay, to set down.
  • verb To confide or entrust to someone.
  • verb To reside in something.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility)
  • noun the absence of mental stress or anxiety
  • verb put in a horizontal position
  • verb lean in a comfortable resting position
  • verb put or confide something in a person or thing
  • verb lie when dead
  • verb to put something (eg trust) in something
  • noun a disposition free from stress or emotion
  • verb be inherent or innate in

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin repausare ("to lay at rest, quiet, also nourish, intransitive to be at rest, rest, repose"), from Latin re- ("again") + pausare ("to pause, rest"), from pausa ("pause"), from Ancient Greek παῦσις (pausis).

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Examples

Comments

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  • We are praying now for the repose of his soul. Hoping you're well and not in hell.

    Joyce, Ulysses, 6

    January 1, 2007

  • to establish, to set

    July 24, 2009

  • The walkout music for the Angels' Roger Repoz - at least on the night I as a four-year-old attended a game at Anaheim stadium with the whole family - was 'Don't Sleep in the Subway, Darling'. He played professional baseball for 17 years in USA major and minor leagues, Japan and Puerto Rico. He was of Yugoslav parentage. Interestingly the Spanish verb reposare is cognate with the English repose so any Hispanic- or Italian-background players and fans would also have got the joke.

    June 17, 2023