Idioms are special phrases where the words together have a different meaning than what they say separately. People use them to make their language colorful, fun, and easier to picture in their minds. In this guide, you will learn fifty different idioms that are all about rest and taking a break.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms that mean taking a pause or relaxing. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Rest
1. Catch your breath
Definition: To stop working or running for a short time so your body can recover normal breathing.
Used in a Sentence: After running all the way across the playground, Sam sat on the bench to catch his breath. / Let us walk slowly for a minute so we can catch our breath before climbing the hill.
Similar Expressions: Slow down / Take a breather
2. Hit the hay
Definition: To go to bed in order to sleep.
Used in a Sentence: I am extremely tired after our long hike, so I am ready to hit the hay. / Dad always likes to hit the hay early on weeknights so he is ready for work.
Similar Expressions: Hit the sack / Go to sleep
3. Sleep on it
Definition: To delay making a decision until the next day so you have time to think about it.
Used in a Sentence: Do not buy the expensive bicycle right now; sleep on it and decide tomorrow. / The teacher told us to sleep on our project ideas before choosing our final topic.
Similar Expressions: Think it over / Take time to decide
4. Put your feet up
Definition: To relax comfortably, often by sitting down and elevating your legs.
Used in a Sentence: After standing all day at the craft fair, I want to sit on the couch and put my feet up. / Grandma loves to read her favorite mystery novel and put her feet up in the afternoon.
Similar Expressions: Kick back / Relax completely
5. Recharge your batteries
Definition: To rest and regain your energy after feeling tired or stressed.
Used in a Sentence: Going camping in the quiet woods is a wonderful way to recharge your batteries. / She spent the whole weekend reading books and sleeping to recharge her batteries for school.
Similar Expressions: Revive your energy / Regain your strength
6. Take five
Definition: To take a very short break of five minutes or less.
Used in a Sentence: The coach told the basketball team to take five and get a drink of water. / Let us take five from cleaning our rooms before we finish the last shelf.
Similar Expressions: Take a breather / Pause briefly
7. Knock off
Definition: To stop working for the day.
Used in a Sentence: We decided to knock off early on Friday and go get ice cream together. / Once we finish planting these flowers in the garden, we can knock off.
Similar Expressions: Call it a day / Stop working
8. Call it a day
Definition: To stop doing a task or working because you are finished or too tired to continue.
Used in a Sentence: We have been painting the fence for six hours, so let us call it a day. / It is getting dark outside, so we should probably call it a day and go inside.
Similar Expressions: Stop for the day / Finish up
9. Power nap
Definition: A very short sleep during the day that helps you feel awake and alert again.
Used in a Sentence: Grandpa always takes a twenty minute power nap after eating his lunch. / If you feel sleepy while studying, a quick power nap might help you focus.
Similar Expressions: Catnap / Quick rest
10. Sound asleep
Definition: Sleeping deeply and peacefully.
Used in a Sentence: When I checked on my little brother in his room, he was sound asleep. / The puppy curled up on the soft rug and was sound asleep in seconds.
Similar Expressions: Fast asleep / Deeply sleeping
11. Drop off
Definition: To fall asleep gradually.
Used in a Sentence: I was so exhausted from swimming that I began to drop off during the movie. / Soft music playing in the background always helps the baby drop off.
Similar Expressions: Drift off / Fall asleep
12. Heavy eyelids
Definition: A physical feeling of tiredness where your eyes want to close because you are sleepy.
Used in a Sentence: Reading that long history textbook gave me heavy eyelids. / She rubbed her heavy eyelids and tried to pay attention to the end of the story.
Similar Expressions: Feeling sleepy / Drowsy eyes
13. Idle time
Definition: Free time when you are not doing anything busy or hard.
Used in a Sentence: I love having some idle time on Saturday morning to draw pictures. / During our idle time at camp, we like to sit by the lake and skip stones.
Similar Expressions: Free time / Down time
14. Out like a light
Definition: Falling asleep very quickly and deeply.
Used in a Sentence: He laid his head on the fluffy pillow and was out like a light. / After the long bicycle ride, the children were out like a light.
Similar Expressions: Asleep instantly / Fast asleep
15. Sleep like a log
Definition: To sleep very deeply and soundly without moving much.
Used in a Sentence: The cool night air in the mountains helped everyone sleep like a log. / After winning the championship game, Leo went home and slept like a log.
Similar Expressions: Sleep soundly / Sleep deeply
16. Peace and quiet
Definition: A calm, silent environment where you can rest without noise or stress.
Used in a Sentence: I went to the library because I needed some peace and quiet to study. / Sometimes you just want to sit on the porch and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Similar Expressions: Tranquility / Calm surroundings
17. Time out
Definition: A brief pause from an activity to rest or calm down.
Used in a Sentence: The teacher called a time out so the students could stretch their legs. / Let us take a time out from building this puzzle and get a snack.
Similar Expressions: Brief pause / Short break
18. Breathing space
Definition: A small amount of time or room to relax and think without pressure.
Used in a Sentence: Finishing my homework early gave me some breathing space before dinner. / We need a little breathing space after moving all of those heavy boxes.
Similar Expressions: Room to breathe / Extra time
19. Take it easy
Definition: To relax, rest, and avoid doing anything stressful or tiring.
Used in a Sentence: The doctor told me to take it easy for a few days while my ankle heals. / We have no plans this weekend, so we can just take it easy at home.
Similar Expressions: Relax / Take things slow
20. Lay low
Definition: To stay quiet and hidden or avoid drawing attention while resting.
Used in a Sentence: I had a bad cold, so I decided to lay low in my room all weekend. / The cat chose to lay low under the kitchen table during the loud storm.
Similar Expressions: Stay quiet / Keep a low profile
21. Snooze button
Definition: The button on an alarm clock that lets you sleep a few minutes longer.
Used in a Sentence: I hit the snooze button three times before finally getting out of bed. / If you keep pressing the snooze button, you will miss your school bus.
Similar Expressions: Extra minutes / Delaying waking up
22. In the arms of Morpheus
Definition: Being fast asleep.
Used in a Sentence: The house was completely silent because everyone was resting in the arms of Morpheus. / After the bedtime story, the little girl was soon in the arms of Morpheus.
Similar Expressions: Sound asleep / Deep in sleep
23. Dead to the world
Definition: Sleeping so deeply that you do not notice anything around you.
Used in a Sentence: He was so tired from the soccer tournament that he was dead to the world all night. / Even with the television on, she was dead to the world on the couch.
Similar Expressions: Sound asleep / Deeply sleeping
24. Kick back
Definition: To relax and spend time in a calm, easy way.
Used in a Sentence: My favorite part of the weekend is getting to kick back and watch a movie. / After a tough test, it feels great to kick back in the backyard hammock.
Similar Expressions: Relax / Unwind
25. Unwind
Definition: To relax your mind and body after a period of worry or hard work.
Used in a Sentence: Listening to soft music helps me unwind after a long day at school. / Dad likes to read a magazine to unwind before he goes to sleep.
Similar Expressions: Calm down / Decompress
26. Rest on your laurels
Definition: To stop trying hard because you are happy with what you already achieved.
Used in a Sentence: Even though we won the science fair, we should not rest on our laurels too long. / The champion runner took a short break, but knew she could not rest on her laurels.
Similar Expressions: Stop trying / Relax too soon
27. Catch forty winks
Definition: To take a very short sleep or nap during the day.
Used in a Sentence: Grandpa wants to catch forty winks before the family dinner starts tonight. / I am a bit drowsy, so I think I will go catch forty winks on the sofa.
Similar Expressions: Take a nap / Catnap
28. Sandman is visiting
Definition: A playful way to say that someone is getting sleepy and ready for bed.
Used in a Sentence: Your heavy eyes tell me the sandman is visiting you right now. / The baby started yawning, which meant the sandman was visiting.
Similar Expressions: Getting sleepy / Becoming drowsy
29. Sweet dreams
Definition: A wish for someone to have pleasant thoughts and a good rest while sleeping.
Used in a Sentence: Mom kissed my forehead, turned off the light, and whispered sweet dreams. / We said goodnight to our friends and wished them sweet dreams before leaving.
Similar Expressions: Goodnight / Sleep well
30. Stretch your legs
Definition: To go for a short walk after sitting for a long time to rest your body.
Used in a Sentence: During the long car trip, we stopped at a park so everyone could stretch their legs. / Let us get up from our desks and stretch our legs for a few minutes.
Similar Expressions: Walk around / Move your muscles
31. Lean back
Definition: To tilt your upper body backward into a comfortable, resting position.
Used in a Sentence: I love to lean back in my reclining chair and read a comic book. / Lean back and close your eyes while I tell you the rest of the story.
Similar Expressions: Recline / Sit back
32. Laze around
Definition: To spend time relaxing without doing anything active or difficult.
Used in a Sentence: On lazy Sundays, we like to laze around the house in our pajamas. / The cat spent the entire afternoon trying to laze around in the sunny patch.
Similar Expressions: Lounge / Take it easy
33. Ease off
Definition: To become less strict, intense, or tiring.
Used in a Sentence: The rain finally began to ease off so we could go outside to play. / I hope the teacher decides to ease off on homework this weekend.
Similar Expressions: Slow down / Let up
34. Let up
Definition: To stop or become less strong, giving you a chance to rest.
Used in a Sentence: We waited under the roof until the heavy wind and snow let up. / The constant noise from the street finally let up around midnight.
Similar Expressions: Ease off / Slow down
35. Take a load off
Definition: To sit down and rest when you are tired or carrying heavy things.
Used in a Sentence: Welcome to my house, come inside and take a load off your feet. / After carrying those grocery bags, I am ready to take a load off.
Similar Expressions: Sit down / Rest awhile
36. Cool your heels
Definition: To wait patiently and rest while you have nothing else to do.
Used in a Sentence: The doctor’s office was busy, so we had to cool our heels in the waiting room. / I had to cool my heels by the front door while my brother found his shoes.
Similar Expressions: Wait patiently / Sit tight
37. Sit tight
Definition: To stay where you are and wait calmly without making any changes.
Used in a Sentence: The teacher told us to sit tight while she checked our math answers. / Sit tight in the car while I run inside to grab our tickets.
Similar Expressions: Wait quietly / Stay put
38. Have a breather
Definition: To take a short break to catch your breath and rest.
Used in a Sentence: Let us have a breather after riding our bicycles up that steep hill. / The hikers stopped by the stream to have a breather and drink water.
Similar Expressions: Take a break / Pause briefly
39. Sleep in
Definition: To sleep until later than usual in the morning because you do not have to wake up early.
Used in a Sentence: Since there is no school on Saturday, I plan to sleep in until nine o’clock. / My parents always love to sleep in on Sunday mornings.
Similar Expressions: Wake up late / Rest longer in bed
40. Shut-eye
Definition: Slang for sleep or a period of rest.
Used in a Sentence: I need to get some shut-eye before the big soccer match tomorrow morning. / If you do not get enough shut-eye, you will be tired all day at school.
Similar Expressions: Sleep / Rest
41. Power down
Definition: To turn off electronic devices and let your mind rest from screens.
Used in a Sentence: It is a good idea to power down your phone an hour before bedtime. / We decided to power down all our tablets and play a board game instead.
Similar Expressions: Turn off / Unplug
42. Drop anchor
Definition: To stop moving or traveling and settle down in one place to rest.
Used in a Sentence: After driving for five hours, we were ready to drop anchor at the hotel. / Let us drop anchor on the living room rug and start our puzzle.
Similar Expressions: Settle down / Stop traveling
43. Slow lane
Definition: A relaxed and calm way of living without rushing or stress.
Used in a Sentence: During summer vacation, I prefer to live in the slow lane and read books. / Sometimes it is nice to step out of the busy rush and enter the slow lane.
Similar Expressions: Relaxed pace / Easy lifestyle
44. Take a breather
Definition: To pause an activity to get fresh air and recover energy.
Used in a Sentence: We took a quick breather near the fountain before continuing our museum tour. / The puppy stopped running to take a breather in the shade of the tree.
Similar Expressions: Rest briefly / Pause for air
45. Ease into it
Definition: To start something gently without rushing or stressing yourself.
Used in a Sentence: On the first day of swimming lessons, the instructor let us ease into it. / Do not rush your chores today; just ease into it gently.
Similar Expressions: Start slowly / Take it gently
46. Cozy up
Definition: To settle into a warm, comfortable position for resting or reading.
Used in a Sentence: I love to cozy up with a warm blanket and a good book on cold days. / The cat likes to cozy up next to the fireplace when it snows outside.
Similar Expressions: Snuggle up / Get comfortable
47. Lull to sleep
Definition: To cause someone to become sleepy using quiet sounds or gentle motion.
Used in a Sentence: The gentle sound of the ocean waves helped lull the baby to sleep. / Soft lullabies can help lull a tired child to sleep at bedtime.
Similar Expressions: Put to sleep / Soothe to sleep
48. Sleep on your feet
Definition: Being so extremely tired that you look like you might fall asleep while standing.
Used in a Sentence: After the long field trip, some of the children were almost sleeping on their feet. / Go to bed early tonight because you look like you are sleeping on your feet.
Similar Expressions: Exhausted / Extremely tired
49. Rest your eyes
Definition: To close your eyes for a few minutes to relax them from staring at things.
Used in a Sentence: Staring at the computer screen made my head hurt, so I decided to rest my eyes. / Grandma told me to rest my eyes for a little while after reading.
Similar Expressions: Close your eyes / Give eyes a break
50. Turn in
Definition: To go to bed for the night.
Used in a Sentence: It is getting late, so I think it is time for all of us to turn in. / After watching the movie, we said our goodnights and decided to turn in.
Similar Expressions: Go to bed / Head to sleep
Exercise to Practice
- When Maria ran five miles without stopping, she had to sit down to catch her breath.
- If you are very wide awake and energetic at midnight, you should hit the hay.
- My dad always likes to put his feet up on the ottoman after working in the yard all day.
- When you study for hours without a break, you need to recharge your batteries by playing video games.
- After painting the entire house by herself, Mom decided to call it a day.
- The little puppy ran around the yard once and was sound asleep instantly on the rug.
- During busy times at school, it is helpful to have some idle time to run sprints in the gym.
- When you want to buy a very expensive toy, it is smart to sleep on it before spending your money.
- On lazy weekends, my family loves to laze around in our comfortable pajamas until noon.
- The doctor told me to run a marathon tomorrow so I can take it easy.
- When the heavy rain finally starts pouring harder, we say it is beginning to let up.
- After carrying heavy boxes upstairs, you can take a load off by sitting in a chair.
- During a long road trip, stopping at a rest stop lets everyone stretch their legs.
- If you press the snooze button five times, you will definitely be early for school.
- Cozying up with a warm blanket and a good book is a great way to relax on a cold afternoon.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
Conclusion
Learning idioms about rest helps you describe how you feel when you are tired or relaxing in fun new ways. These colorful expressions make your writing and speaking much more interesting to listen to.
Try using a few of these rest expressions when talking with your friends or family this week. You will find that sharing how you relax is a great way to connect with others.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for rest?
Some popular idioms for rest include hitting the hay, putting your feet up, and taking a breather. These phrases are often used in everyday conversation to describe relaxing or going to sleep.
Why do we use idioms in English?
We use idioms to make our language more colorful, creative, and expressive than using plain words alone. They help paint a clear mental picture for the listener.
How can I practice learning new idioms?
You can practice by using new idioms in your daily writing, making flashcards, or trying to spot them when you read books. Using them in real sentences helps you remember what they mean.
Are idioms difficult for beginners to learn?
Idioms can be tricky at first because their meanings are different from the individual words inside them. Learning them a few at a time with clear examples makes them much easier to understand.
Can I use these rest idioms in formal writing?
Rest idioms are usually best for casual conversations, stories, and friendly letters rather than strict school essays or official reports. Knowing when to use them helps your writing sound natural.
