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Rest[expr]

gives expr with the first element removed.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
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Rest

Rest[expr]

gives expr with the first element removed.

Details

  • Rest[expr] is equivalent to Drop[expr,1].

Examples

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Basic Examples  (2)

Wolfram Language code: Rest[{a, b, c, d}]
Wolfram Language code: Rest[<|1 :> a, 2 -> b, 3 :> c|>]

Scope  (2)

The head need not be List:

Wolfram Language code: Rest[a + b + c + d]
Wolfram Language code: Rest[f[a, b, c, d]]

Rest works on SparseArray objects:

Wolfram Language code: Rest[SparseArray[Range[100]]]

Applications  (1)

Nest the operation of finding the rest of a list:

Wolfram Language code: NestList[Rest, {a, b, c, d, e}, 3]

Properties & Relations  (1)

Rest[expr] is equivalent to Drop[expr,1]:

Wolfram Language code: Rest[{a, b, c, d}]
Wolfram Language code: Drop[{a, b, c, d}, 1]

Possible Issues  (2)

The expression is evaluated before Rest is applied:

Wolfram Language code: Rest[c + a + b]

Rest always operates on the FullForm of expressions:

Wolfram Language code: Rest[1 / b]
Wolfram Language code: FullForm[1 / b]
Wolfram Research (1988), Rest, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Rest, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Rest." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Rest. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_rest, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Rest}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html}", note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_rest, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Rest}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Rest.html}, note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}