sleepy
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈsliːpi/
rhymes: -iːpi
Forms: form: sleepier
form: sleepiest
form: sleeby
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *slēpaz
Proto-West Germanic *slāp
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Proto-West Germanic *slāpag
Old English *slǣpiġ
Middle English slepy
English sleepy
From Middle English slepy, from Old English *slǣpiġ (attested in unslǣpiġ (“sleepless”)), from Proto-West Germanic *slāpag (“sleepy”), equivalent to sleep + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian släipich (“sleepy”), West Frisian sliepich (“sleepy”), dialectal Dutch slapig, slepig (“sleepy”), German Low German slapig, släpig, slöpig (“sleepy”), archaic German schlafig (“sleepy”).
Senses: examples: text: She wak'd her sleepy crew.
ref: 1700, [John] Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
synonyms: tired
glosses: Tired; feeling the need for sleep.
examples: text: At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth, stepped back from the tree and listened. There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision.
ref: 1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus:
synonyms: word: jaded
word: weary
word: bleareyed
word: bleary
word: bleary-eyed
word: bone-tired
word: bushed
word: tired out
word: spent
word: drained
word: dog-tired
word: dog-weary
word: exhausted
word: fatigued
word: forfairn
word: forlagen
word: forworn
word: heavyeyed
word: jaded
word: languid
word: enervated
word: out of gas
word: played out
word: run-down
word: shattered
word: shot
word: sleepy
word: stuffed
word: tired
word: washed out
word: weariful
word: weary
word: whacked
word: whipped
word: worn
word: worn out
word: banjaxed
word: beat
word: buggered
word: busted
word: dead tired
word: cream crackered
word: done
word: done in
word: done up
word: fagged out
word: fried
word: fucked
word: gassed
word: jiggered
word: Kerry Packered
word: knacked
word: knackered
word: nadgered
word: pooped
word: pooped out
word: pumped
word: shagged
word: shagged out
word: tuckered
word: tuckered out
word: wappened
word: zonked
glosses: Suggesting tiredness.
examples: text: a sleepy drink or potion
text: [T]he yong L. Roger Mortimer, […] hauing corrupted his Keepers, or (as ſome others vvrite) hauing potioned them vvith a ſleepy drinke, eſcaped out of the Tovver of London, getting ouer clearely vvithout any empeachment into France.
ref: 1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Edward the Second, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John Beale, for John Sudbury and George Humble, […], →OCLC, book IX ([Englands Monarchs] […]), paragraph 49, page 561, column 1:
synonyms: word: hypnotic
word: soporific
word: dormitive
word: hypnic
word: hypnotic
word: slumberous
word: somniferous
word: somnific
word: somnolent
word: soporiferous
word: soporific
word: soporous
word: stupefacient
word: stupefactive
word: tranquilizing
word: vapid
glosses: Tending to induce sleep.
examples: text: 'Tis not sleepy business;
But must be looked to speedily and strongly.
ref: 1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
synonyms: heavy
sluggish
glosses: Dull; lazy.
examples: text: a sleepy English village
text: Experts believe a pandemic welfare programme for poorer Brazilians has encouraged robbers to plan bold raids in sleepy regional cities where bank branches are storing more cash.
ref: 2021 August 30, “Armed robbers take hostages in deadly bank raids in Brazil city”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
text: Usually sleepy border crossings into Kazakhstan and Mongolia have also been overwhelmed by the sudden influx of Russians looking for a way out.
ref: 2022 September 23, Pjotr Sauer, Dan Sabbagh, “Border queues build as people flee Russia to escape Putin's call-up”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
text: Despite Horwich's international fame as a centre of railway engineering, Horwich station itself was usually quite a sleepy place.
ref: 2023 March 8, Paul Salveson, “Fond farewells to two final trains...”, in Rail, number 978, page 54:
glosses: Quiet; without bustle or activity.
Synonyms: word: adrowse
word: bedroomy
word: dozy
word: dopey
word: dragging one's tail
word: drowsy
word: eyelids at half-mast
word: nodding off
word: oscitant
word: out of steam
word: sleepbound
word: sleepish
word: sleepy
word: slombry
word: snoozy
word: slumberful
word: slumberous
word: slumbersome
word: slumbery
word: somniculous
word: somnolent
word: somnolescent
word: tired
Hyponyms: word: hypersomnolent
word: nappish
word: narcotised
word: narcotized
word: poppied
word: sleepful
word: yawning
Derived terms: eep
eepy
sleepily
sleepiness
sleepy-bye
sleepy-byes
sleepy catchfly
sleepy cod
sleepy crab
sleepy distemper
sleepy dust
sleepy-dust
sleepy goby
sleepy head
Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Joe
sleepy sand
sleepy sickness
sleepy underwing
unsleepy
Related terms: word: sleep