asleep

[ uh-sleep ]

adverb

1. in or into a state of sleep:

   He fell asleep quickly.

2. into a dormant or inactive state; to rest:

   Their anxieties were put asleep.

3. into the state of death.

adjective

1. sleeping:

   He is asleep.

2. dormant; inactive.
3. (of the foot, hand, leg, etc.) numb.
4. dead.

asleep

/ əˈsliːp /

adjective

1. in or into a state of sleep
2. in or into a dormant or inactive state
3. (of limbs, esp when the blood supply to them has been restricted) numb; lacking sensation
4. euphemistic.
   dead

Other Words From

• half-a·sleep adjective
• quasi-a·sleep adjective adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of asleep¹

before 1000; Middle English o slæpe, aslepe, Old English on slǣpe; a- ¹, sleep

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with asleep , also see fall asleep .

Example Sentences

Mr Pelicot has repeatedly denied this was the case, insisting that when he recruited men on the internet he made it abundantly clear that his wife would be asleep.

From BBC

Then they would retire to the shipping container and fall asleep side-by-side on the cots holding hands.

From Los Angeles Times

Some of the mystical women whose YouTube videos help me fall asleep would disagree.

From Salon

She found Keke there, asleep in her nightgown with her head resting on the kitchen table.

From Los Angeles Times

Far too many voters drifted away or fell asleep by the second slide and concluded — reluctantly, in many cases — that given the options, smashing things sounded like a lot more fun.

From Salon

Related Words

• comatose
• dormant