drowsing
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Being in a state of light sleep or near-sleep; half-asleep: The state of being sleepy and on the verge of sleeping, often characterized by head-nodding or closed eyes while still somewhat aware of surroundings.
- Inducing or characterized by drowsiness: Having a sleepy, sluggish, or somnolent quality.
Usage and Examples
- Adjective:
- The drowsing cat in the sunbeam didn't even twitch when I walked by.
- After lunch, he sat in the drowsing warmth of the library.
- The lecture had a drowsing effect on the students.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- "Drowsing" as a participial adjective: Often used to describe a person, animal, or atmosphere that is in a state of light sleep or sleepiness. It emphasizes the ongoing, passive state.
- The sound of the rain kept the whole house in a drowsing calm.
- Distinction from "sleeping": "Drowsing" implies a lighter, more easily interrupted state than full sleep. A "drowsing" person is dozing or nodding off.
Variants and Related Words
- Drowse (verb): To be half-asleep; to fall into a light sleep.
- He began to drowse during the long meeting.
- Drowsy (adjective): Feeling sleepy and lethargic.
- The medicine made her feel drowsy.
- Drowsiness (noun): The state of being drowsy.
- He fought against a wave of drowsiness.
Synonyms
- Dozy: Inclined to doze; sleepy.
- Nodding: Falling asleep, especially briefly or involuntarily.
- Napping: Taking a short, light sleep.
- Somnolent: Sleepy; drowsy.
Antonyms
- Alert: Fully awake and attentive.
- Vigilant: Watchful and alert.
- Wakeful: Unable to sleep; sleepless.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- To be caught drowsing: To be found in a state of inattention or unpreparedness (often used figuratively).
- The goalkeeper was caught drowsing and let in an easy goal.
- Drowsing off: The process of gradually falling into a light sleep. (Note: This is a phrasal verb form of the related verb "drowse").
- She was drowsing off in her armchair when the phone rang.
Adjective
- half asleep
- made drowsy by the long ride
- it seemed a pity to disturb the drowsing (or dozing) professor
- a tired dozy child
- the nodding (or napping) grandmother in her rocking chair