These are all words for a short period of time spent relaxing. 以上各词均表示短暂的休息。

• rest a period of relaxing, sleeping or doing nothing after a period of activity 指休息、睡眠：◆We stopped for a well-earned rest. 我们停下来作个应有的休息。
• break a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and rest or eat 指间歇、休息：◆Let's take a break. 咱们休息一会儿吧。 NOTE In British English break is a period of time between lessons at school. The North American English word is recess. 在英式英语中，break 指课间休息。美式英语表示此义用 recess。
• respite a short break from sth difficult or unpleasant 指从困境或不愉快、不舒适的状态中得到暂缓、暂停：◆The drug brought a brief respite from the pain. 药物暂时缓解了疼痛。
• time out (informal, especially NAmE) time for resting or relaxing away from your usual work or studies 指暂停工作或学习的时间：◆Take time out to relax by the pool. 去游泳池边歇一歇吧。
• breathing space a short rest in the middle of a period of mental or physical effort 指脑力或体力活动期间的短暂休息、喘息时间：◆This delay gives the party a breathing space in which to sort out its policies. 这一延误使该党有了喘息之机来厘定其政策。

Patterns

• (a) rest/break/respite/time out from sth
• to have/take (a) rest/break/time out
• to give sb (a) rest/break/respite/breathing space