Old English (in an earlier sense). Cognate with (with varying suffixation) Middle Dutch riester, reester mouldboard (Dutch rister), Old Saxon rioster plough handle, share-beam (Middle Low German riester), Old High German riosta plough handle, share-beam, riostar ploughshare, share-beam, plough handle, riostra plough handle, share-beam (Middle High German riester, German Riester), probably from the same Germanic base as Old High German riuten to root out, probably ultimately from the same Indo-European base as ripe and reif.

Early 16th century; earliest use found in William Dunbar (?1460–?1530), poet and courtier. Origin uncertain; probably related to early modern Danish røste to cook on a grill over a fire, to grill, broil (Danish riste), cognate with Norwegian riste, Swedish rista, in the same sense, probably ultimately representing a borrowing of Middle Low German rōsten, rȫsten to roast: see roast.

Late 18th century; earliest use found in Songs from David Herd's Manuscripts. Originally a variant of rest, now usually distinguished in form in the senses below. Earlier currency is probably implied by reesty.