probably from Scottish arreestarrest; perhaps related to restive
reest in American English1
(rist)
transitive verb
Scot & Northern English
to cure, smoke, or dry (meat or fish)
Word origin
[1500–10; perh. ‹ Scand; cf. Dan, Norw riste to roast]This word is first recorded in the period 1500–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: canvass, gravity, investigate, lounge, reflex
reest in American English2
(rist)
intransitive verb
Scot & Northern English(of a horse)
to stop or refuse to go; balk
Also: reist
Word origin
[1780–90; dial. var. of rest1]This word is first recorded in the period 1780–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: alignment, carbon, classification, ego, oxygen