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sleep

Syllabification: (sleep)
Pronunciation: /slēp/
Translate sleep | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of sleep

noun

  • 1a condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended:I was on the verge of sleep [in singular]:a good night’s sleep
  • chiefly literary a state compared to or resembling sleep, such as death or complete silence or stillness:a photograph of the poet in his last sleep
  • 2a gummy or gritty secretion found in the corners of the eyes after sleep:she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes

verb (past and past participle slept /slept/)

[no object]
  • 1rest by sleeping; be asleep:she slept for half an hour (as adjective sleeping)he looked at the sleeping child
  • be inactive or dormant:Copenhagen likes to be known as the city that never sleeps
  • literary be at peace in death; lie buried:he sleeps beneath the silver birches
  • 2 [with object] provide (a specified number of people) with beds, rooms, or places to stay the night:studios sleeping two people cost $70 a night
  • 3 [with adverbial] have sexual intercourse or be involved in a sexual relationship:I won’t sleep with a man who doesn’t respect me

Phrases

one could do something in one's sleep

informal one regards something as so easy that it will require no effort or conscious thought to accomplish:she knew the music perfectly, could sing it in her sleep

get to sleep

manage to fall asleep.

go to sleep

fall asleep.
(of a limb) become numb as a result of prolonged pressure.

let sleeping dogs lie

proverb avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problems but might do so as a result of such interference.

lose sleep

see lose.

put someone to sleep

make someone unconscious by the use of drugs, alcohol, or an anesthetic.
(also send someone to sleep) bore someone greatly.

put something to sleep

kill an animal, especially an old, sick, or badly injured one, painlessly (used euphemistically).
Computing put a computer on standby while it is not being used, especially in order to reduce power consumption.

sleep easy

see easy.

sleep like a log (or top)

sleep very soundly.

sleep on it

informal delay making a decision on something until the following day so as to have more time to consider it.

the sleep of the just

a deep, untroubled sleep.

sleep rough

see rough.

sleep tight

[usually in imperative] sleep well (said to someone when parting from them at night).

sleep with one eye open

sleep very lightly, aware of what is happening around one.

Phrasal Verbs

sleep around

informal have many casual sexual partners.

sleep in

remain asleep or in bed later than usual in the morning.
sleep by night at one’s place of work.

sleep something off/away

dispel the effects of or recover from something by going to sleep:she thought it wise to let him sleep off his hangover

sleep out

sleep outdoors.

sleep over

North American spend the night at a place other than one’s own home:Katie was asked to sleep over with Jenny

Origin:

Old English slēp, slǣp (noun), slēpan, slǣpan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch slapen and German schlafen

sleep in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of sleep in the British & World English dictionary

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