Английский Этимологический словарь - rest (1)

- "sleep," O.E. rжste, reste "rest, bed," from P.Gmc. *rastjo, *rasto. Original sense seems to be a measure of distance (cf. O.H.G. rasta "league of miles," O.N. rost "league, distance after which one rests," Gothic rasta "mile, stage of a journey"), perhaps a word from the nomadic period. The meaning "support, thing upon which something rests" is attested from 1590. The verb is O.E. rжstan, restan "to rest." God rest you merry, gentlemen, is often mis-punctuated.