UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈsliːp/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/slip/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(slēp)
sleep/slip/USA pronunciationv.,slept/slɛpt/USA pronunciation sleep•ing,n. v.
Physiology[no object] to go into or be in the condition of rest that comes when the body suspends certain functions and is in a state of unconsciousness.
to have enough beds, or a place to sleep, for (people):[~ + object]This trailer sleeps three people.
to allow one's alertness to become less active:[no object]The salespeople must have been sleeping when the shoplifter came in.
[no object] to lie in death.
to take rest in (a certain kind of sleep):[~ + object]The baby slept the sleep of the innocent.
sleep around, [no object] to have sexual relationships with many different partners:She accused her husband of sleeping around with other women.
sleep away, [~ + object + away] to spend or pass (time) in sleep:She slept the night away.
sleep in, [no object]
(of a servant, maid, etc.) to sleep where one is employed.
to sleep beyond one's usual time of arising:Tomorrow there will be no school so you can sleep in.
sleep off, to get rid of (a headache, etc.) by sleeping: [~ + off + object]to sleep off a bad hangover.[~ + object + off]to sleep it off.
sleep on, [~ + on + object] to postpone making a decision about (something) for at least a day:Thanks for your proposal; I think I'll sleep on it and call you tomorrow.
sleep out, [no object]
(of a servant, maid, etc.) to sleep away from one's place of employment.
to sleep outdoors.
sleep over, [no object] to sleep in another person's home:My daughters want to sleep over (at) their cousin's.
sleep through, [~ + through + object] to sleep in spite of (noise or the like):There was a loud party in the next room but somehow we slept through it.
sleep together, [no object] to be sexual partners.
sleep with, [~ + with + object] to have sexual relations with:He said he had never slept with anyone but his wife.
n.
the state of a person, animal, or plant that sleeps:[uncountable]Sleep wouldn't come, and he lay awake most of the night.
a period of sleeping:[countable* usually singular]a good sleep.
the substance in one's eyes after having slept:[uncountable]to rub the sleep from her eyes.
Idioms
get to sleep, to succeed in falling asleep:The night before we left for our new home we couldn't get to sleep.
go to sleep:
to fall asleep:Everytime the baby went to sleep, the gas pains woke her up again.
to get ready to sleep, as by going to one's bed:The kids didn't want to go to sleep; they were too excited.
to become numb:My foot's gone to sleep and I can't stand on it.
put (someone or something) to sleep, to kill in a painless way:They had to put their dog to sleep.
sleep is both a noun and a verb, asleep and sleepy are adjectives:He fell into a deep sleep. He slept deeply. He was asleep and didn't wake up when the phone rang. He was sleepy and ready for bed.
Physiologyto take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of consciousness; cease being awake.
Botanyto assume, esp. at night, a state similar to the sleep of animals, marked by closing of petals, leaves, etc.
to be dormant, quiescent, or inactive, as faculties.
to be careless or unalert; allow one's alertness, vigilance, or attentiveness to lie dormant:While England slept, Germany prepared for war.
to lie in death:They are sleeping in their tombs.
v.t.
to take rest in (a specified kind of sleep):He slept the sleep of the innocent.
to accommodate for sleeping; have sleeping accommodations for:This trailer sleeps three people.
to spend or pass in sleep (usually fol. by away or out):to sleep the day away.
to recover from the effects of (a headache, hangover, etc.) by sleeping (usually fol. by off or away).
sleep around, [Informal.]to have sexual relations with many partners, esp. in a casual way; be sexually promiscuous.
sleep in:
(esp. of domestic help) to sleep where one is employed.
to sleep beyond one's usual time of arising.
sleep on, to postpone making a decision about for at least a day:to sleep on a proposal till the end of the week.
sleep out:
(esp. of domestic help) to sleep away from one's place of employment.
[Chiefly Northern U.S.]to sleep away from one's home.
to sleep outdoors.
sleep over, to spend one or more nights in a place other than one's own home:Two friends will sleep over this weekend.
sleep together, to be sexual partners; have a sexual relationship.
sleep with, to have sexual relations with.
n.
the state of a person, animal, or plant that sleeps.
a period of sleeping:a brief sleep.
dormancy or inactivity.
the repose of death.
sleeper (def. 10).
put to sleep, to put (an animal) to death in a humane way:to put a sick old dog to sleep.
bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English slēp (Anglian), slǣp, slāp; cognate with Dutch slaap, German Schlaf, Gothic slēps; (verb, verbal) Middle English slepen, Old English slēpan, slǣpan, slāpan, cognate with Old Saxon slāpan, Gothic slēpan