sleeping
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- In a state of sleep; not awake: Describes a person, animal, or organism that is currently asleep.
- Dormant or inactive: Describes something that is not currently active or in use, but has the potential to be.
Noun (uncountable):
- The condition or state of being asleep: The natural, periodic state of rest for the mind and body.
- The suspension of consciousness and decrease in metabolic rate: A biological definition of the state.
- Quiet and inactive restfulness: A period of calm or dormancy.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Please be quiet; the baby is sleeping.
- The project has been sleeping for months, waiting for new funding.
- Noun:
- A good night's sleeping is essential for health.
- The volcano has been in a state of sleeping for centuries.
Advanced Usage
- "Sleeping giant": A powerful person, organization, or country that is not currently active or using its full power but has great potential.
- The company was considered a sleeping giant in the tech industry.
- "Sleeping partner" (also "silent partner"): A person who invests money in a business but does not take part in its daily management.
- He provided the capital as a sleeping partner.
Variants and Related Words
- Sleep (verb/noun): The base form. (e.g., ).
- Sleeper (noun): 1. A person or animal that is asleep. 2. Something that achieves unexpected success or attention. 3. A railroad sleeping car.
- Sleepy (adjective): Needing or ready for sleep; drowsy.
- Asleep (adjective): The more common predicate adjective meaning "in a state of sleep". (e.g., ).
Synonyms
- Adjective: Asleep, dormant, resting, slumbering, inactive.
- Noun: Slumber, rest, dormancy, repose.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases
- Sleep in: To sleep later than usual in the morning.
- I love to sleep in on Saturdays.
- Sleep over: To spend the night at someone else's house.
- The children are going to sleep over at their grandparents' house.
Related Idioms
- Let sleeping dogs lie: To avoid interfering in a situation that is currently calm but could become problematic if disturbed.
- Don't ask him about the argument; it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
- Sleep on it: To delay making a decision until the next day after a period of thought or sleep.
- I'm not sure about the offer; I need to sleep on it.
Adjective
- lying with head on paws as if sleeping
Noun
- the suspension of consciousness and decrease in metabolic rate
- quiet and inactive restfulness
- the state of being asleep