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sleep definition

sleep (slēp)

noun

    1. a natural, regularly recurring condition of rest for the body and mind, during which the eyes are usually closed and there is little or no conscious thought or voluntary movement, but there is intermittent dreaming
    2. a spell of sleeping
  2. any state of inactivity thought of as like sleep, as death, unconsciousness, hibernation, etc.
  3. Bot. nyctitropism

Etymology: ME slep < OE slæp, akin to Ger schlaf, sleep, schlaff, loose, lax < IE *slab < base *(s)leb-, *(s)lab-, loose, slack > lip, limp, L labor, to slip, sink

intransitive verb slept, sleeping sleep′·ing

  1. to be in the state of sleep; slumber
  2. to be in a state of inactivity like sleep, as that of death, quiescence, hibernation, inattention, etc.
  3. Informal to have sexual intercourse (with)
  4. Informal to postpone a decision (on) to allow time for deliberation let me sleep on it
  5. Bot. to assume a nyctitropic position at night, as petals or leaves

transitive verb

  1. to slumber in (a specified kind of sleep) to sleep the sleep of the just
  2. to provide sleeping accommodations for a boat that sleeps four
sleep Idioms

last sleep

death

sleep around

Informal to have promiscuous sexual relations

sleep away

  1. to spend in sleeping; sleep during
  2. to get rid of by sleeping

sleep in

  1. to sleep at the place where one is employed as a household servant
  2. to sleep later in the morning than one usually does

sleep it off

to rid oneself of the effects of some excess, overindulgence, etc., specif. of the aftereffects of drinking much alcoholic liquor, by sleeping

sleep off

to rid oneself of by sleeping

sleep out

  1. to spend in sleeping; sleep throughout
  2. to sleep outdoors

sleep over

Informal to spend the night at another's home

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