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sleep

sleep

178 1.0
A long time of being not active like hibernation or death
  • noun
  • /sliːp/
translation icon : letargo
  • It was in his sleep, peaceful, with no suffering, but it made philosophers of all of us.
  • eternal sleep

Oh, what made Fatua sunbeams toil to break Earth's sleep at all?

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Examples

  • At this stage, his wife must be turning in her sleep, tossed between insults and exhaustion.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The bear enters a state of sleep during the winter months to conserve energy.

  • You woke the bear from his sleep.

  • Never lose any sleep over accusations.

  • But most of us assume that sleep evolved.

  • Go back to sleep, there's no need to feel blue.

  • I've never seen anyone frown so much in their sleep.

  • During hibernation, the groundhog goes into a deep sleep until spring.

  • In literature, some characters appear to be in a permanent sleep as a metaphor for death.

Synonyms

sleeping
vssleep
353 1.0

A time when you are not awake

is the base noun form used to label that condition
slumber
vssleep
72 3.9

A period when something is asleep or inactive

covers that rest but also wider inactivity or figurative stillness
to nap
vssleep
23 1.0

To sleep for a short time during the day

refers to any rest or inactivity, not only short daytime rests
shut-eye
vssleep
  • Informal
16 7.2

A short sleep taken to rest, often at night

is the neutral, wider term not marked as informal
deep sleep
vssleep
14 2.8

A heavy sleep when the body and mind rest and are not aware of surroundings

refers to rest broadly, not only the deepest restorative stage
hibernation
vssleep
6 4.1

A period when a person or group stops usual activity to rest and save energy

is broader, used for ordinary rest and figurative nonactivity too
deep slumber
vssleep
1 4.0

A very heavy sleep that is hard to wake from

is general rest rather than this very deep hard to wake state
doze
vssleep
1 2.8

A short light sleep often taken without meaning to

is the general term for rest, not only brief or accidental ones

Antonyms

362 1.1

A state of being busy and moving

14 2.9

A state of being watchful and ready to notice and act on danger or problems

Idioms

sleep tight
  • Informal
14 3.4

To wish someone a good night's sleep

11 6.1

To feel no guilt about what you did

to sleep a wink
  • Informal
9 5.7

To get any sleep, usually said when someone did not sleep

8 5.0

Not sleep at all during the night

in your sleep
  • Informal
6 2.7

Very easily, almost without thinking

Stay half awake and watch for danger while you sleep because you are afraid

1 9.9

To be killed and thrown into water by criminals, often said as a joke

in one's sleep
  • Informal
3.9

Very easy to do without thinking

To die peacefully, people say this as a gentle way to talk about someone's death

Delay making a decision until after you think about it overnight

Accept a belief or excuse that makes someone feel better, even if it is not true

Compounds

A night of sleep that makes you feel rested and ready for the day

16 3.4

A sleep thought to make you look more rested and healthy

14 2.8

A heavy sleep when the body and mind rest and are not aware of surroundings

sleep deprivation
  • Offensive
12 5.3

Keeping someone awake on purpose to hurt or control them

sleep disorder
  • Specialized
11 3.5

A health problem that stops a person sleeping normally

REM sleep
  • Specialized
10 4.1

A stage of sleep with fast eye movement, clear dreams, and high brain activity

sleep apnea
  • Specialized
9 4.1

Breathing stops for short times during sleep, causing poor sleep and health risks

Saying words out loud while you are not awake and without knowing it

1 3.7

A short, shallow sleep you wake up easily from

sleep of the just
  • Literature
1 8.4

A deep peaceful rest after living a good life

deep sleep
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A low power state when a device turns off most parts but can wake quickly

1 3.7

A sleep stage when the eyes move quickly and most dreaming happens

twilight sleep
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A state when medicine makes a person partly awake during childbirth

eternal sleep
  • Literature
8.2

A gentle way to talk about death as a peaceful, long sleep

3.7

A part of sleep without fast eye movements or dreams when the body repairs itself

NREM sleep
  • Specialized
4.4

A stage of sleep without fast eye movements when you usually do not dream

orthodox sleep
  • Archaic
7.4

A stage of sleep without quick eye movements or dreaming when the body repairs itself

paradoxical sleep
  • Specialized
6.3

A part of sleep when the eyes move quickly and dreams feel real

sleep dep
  • Informal
9.7

A state of not having enough sleep that makes you very tired

sleep divorce
  • Literature
7.5

A plan where a couple sleeps in separate beds or rooms because they have different sleep habits

sleep terror disorder
  • Specialized
9.2

A sleep problem where someone wakes from deep sleep with intense fear and often screams, usually without memory

5.6

An organized event where people stay overnight to protest and ask for change

sleep-learning
  • Specialized
8.6

A way of learning things while you sleep by listening to recordings

How Inactive

hibernation
6 4.1
sleep
178 1.0
dormancy
3 6.2
torpor
3 8.9

Surface Forms

sleep singular
sleeps plural

Etymology

Sleep also came to mean a very deep or long rest and comes from the same old word slǣp for quiet rest. That's why people call hibernation or peaceful death 'sleep'—it feels like a long, calm rest.