to doss down

9.5

To sleep somewhere that is not your usual bed, often in an uncomfortable place

phrasal verb
/dɒs daʊn/

: dormir

During the camping trip, we decided to doss down under the stars instead of setting up tents.

Examples

After a long hike, I found a quiet spot to doss down for the night.
- If I were on my own, I could doss down in Perry's studio.

Their Finest (2017)
When he missed the last bus home, he had to doss down on a friend's couch.

Synonyms

to lie down

vsto doss down

221 1.0

To put your body flat on a bed to rest or sleep

refers specifically to sleeping somewhere uncomfortable rather than merely lying flat

to crash

vsto doss down

Informal

111 7.0

To sleep somewhere for a short time without planning to

can include temporary sleep in uncomfortable places whether planned or not

to bunk down

vsto doss down

Informal

5 6.8

To sleep in a temporary place like on the floor or in the living room

focuses more on makeshift arrangements than on general uncomfortable sleeping

to bed down

vsto doss down

4 4.5

To sleep in a temporary place like a barn or tent

emphasizes sleeping somewhere not usual rather than the settling action

to doss

vsto doss down

9.9

To sleep for a short time in an uncomfortable place

is the same idea but expressed as a two word phrasal form

to kip down

vsto doss down

9.6

To sleep somewhere for a short time, often on a sofa

is a neutral phrasal expression used outside regional slang

Antonyms

to lie awake

22 3.7

To stay in bed and not be able to sleep

How Comfortable

to sleep

∞ 1.0

to bed

23 1.0

to doss down

9.5

to sleep rough

1 8.1

Surface Forms

doss down infinitive

dossed down past

dossed down past participle

dossing down present participle

dosses down third person singular

Morphology

doss + down

The verb 'doss' already carries the meaning 'to sleep temporarily or in uncomfortable accommodations', and the particle 'down' merely adds the sense of lying down or settling to sleep. This is a straightforward compositional pattern (verb meaning sleep + particle indicating position/completion) similar to 'bunk down' or 'lie down', so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Doss down may come from an old British word doss for a cheap bed or place to sleep and down meaning to lie down, so it paints the picture of someone lying in a rough, temporary spot. That's why it now means 'to sleep somewhere, often not your usual bed'.