nod off

verb

1. informal.
   intr, adverb to fall asleep

Idioms and Phrases

Fall asleep momentarily, doze, as in Grandma spends a lot of time in her rocking chair, nodding off now and then . This expression alludes to the quick involuntary dropping of one's head from an upright position when drowsy or napping. The verb nod alone was so used from the mid-1500s. Also see drop off , def. 1.

Related Words

• bed down
• doze
• fall asleep
• languish
• relax
• snooze