n. [ AS. sl&aemacr_;p; akin to OFries. slēp, OS. slāp, D. slaap, OHG. slāf, G. schlaf, Goth. slēps. See Sleep, v. i. ] A natural and healthy, but temporary and periodical, suspension of the functions of the organs of sense, as well as of those of the voluntary and rational soul; that state of the animal in which there is a lessened acuteness of sensory perception, a confusion of ideas, and a loss of mental control, followed by a more or less unconscious state. “A man that waketh of his sleep.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

O sleep, thou ape of death. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sleep is attended by a relaxation of the muscles, and the absence of voluntary activity for any rational objects or purpose. The pulse is slower, the respiratory movements fewer in number but more profound, and there is less blood in the cerebral vessels. It is susceptible of greater or less intensity or completeness in its control of the powers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sleep of plants (Bot.), a state of plants, usually at night, when their leaflets approach each other, and the flowers close and droop, or are covered by the folded leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Slumber; repose; rest; nap; doze; drowse. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To be slumbering in; -- followed by a cognate object; as, to sleep a dreamless sleep. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give sleep to; to furnish with accomodations for sleeping; to lodge. [ R. ] Blackw. Mag. [ 1913 Webster ]

To sleep away, to spend in sleep; as, to sleep away precious time. --
To sleep off, to become free from by sleep; as, to sleep off drunkeness or fatigue. [ 1913 Webster ]

obs. imp. of Sleep. Slept. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Slept p. pr. & vb. n. Sleeping. ] [ OE. slepen, AS. sl&unr_;pan; akin to OFries. sl&unr_;pa, OS. slāpan, D. slapen, OHG. slāfan, G. schlafen, Goth. sl&unr_;pan, and G. schlaff slack, loose, and L. labi to glide, slide, labare to totter. Cf. Lapse. ] 1. To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind, and an apathy of the organs of sense; to slumber. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Watching at the head of these that sleep. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Figuratively: (a) To be careless, inattentive, or uncouncerned; not to be vigilant; to live thoughtlessly. [ 1913 Webster ]

We sleep over our happiness. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) To be dead; to lie in the grave. [ 1913 Webster ]

Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thess. iv. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) To be, or appear to be, in repose; to be quiet; to be unemployed, unused, or unagitated; to rest; to lie dormant; as, a question sleeps for the present; the law sleeps. [ 1913 Webster ]

How sweet the moonlight sleep upon this bank! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A plant (Tragopogon pratensis) which closes its flowers at midday; a kind of goat's beard. Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Heavy with sleep. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who sleeps; a slumberer; hence, a drone, or lazy person. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which lies dormant, as a law. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sleeping car. [ Colloq. U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Zool.) An animal that hibernates, as the bear. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Zool.) (a) A large fresh-water gobioid fish (Eleotris dormatrix). (b) A nurse shark. See under Nurse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Norw. sleip a sleeper (a timber), as adj., slippery, smooth. See Slape. ] Something lying in a reclining posture or position. Specifically: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

(a) One of the pieces of timber, stone, or iron, on or near the level of the ground, for the support of some superstructure, to steady framework, to keep in place the rails of a railway, etc.; a stringpiece. [ 1913 Webster ]

(b) One of the joists, or roughly shaped timbers, laid directly upon the ground, to receive the flooring of the ground story. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

(c) (Naut.) One of the knees which connect the transoms to the after timbers on the ship's quarter. [ 1913 Webster ]

(d) (Naut.) The lowest, or bottom, tier of casks. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Strongly inclined to sleep; very sleepy. -- Sleep"ful*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

adv. In a sleepy manner; drowsily. [ 1913 Webster ]