sleeping

noun

1. 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