any long wooden, metal, or stone piece lying horizontally as a sill or footing.
any of a number of wooden pieces, laid upon the ground or upon masonry or concrete, to which floorboards are nailed.
a sleeping car.
Informal. something or someone that becomes unexpectedly successful or important after a period of being unnoticed, ignored, or considered unpromising or a failure: The play was the sleeper of the season.
merchandise that is not quickly sold because its value is not immediately recognized.
Often sleepers.one-piece or two-piece pajamas with feet, especially for children.
a sofa, chair, or other piece of furniture that is designed to open up or unfold into a bed; convertible.
Also called sleep, sand. a globule that forms at the inner corner of the eye, especially during sleep, from the accumulated secretion of the glands of the eyelid.
any of several gobioid fishes of the family Eleotridae, of tropical seas, most species of which have the habit of resting quietly on the bottom.
Slang. a spy; mole.
Slang. a juvenile delinquent sentenced to serve more than nine months.
Bowling. a pin that is hidden from view by another pin.
Chiefly British. a timber or beam laid in a railroad track, serving as a foundation or support for the rails; tie.
Origin of sleeper
Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at sleep, -er1
Britishone of the blocks supporting the rails on a railway trackUS and Canadian equivalent: tie
a heavy timber beam, esp one that is laid horizontally on the ground
mainlyBritisha small plain gold circle worn in a pierced ear lobe to prevent the hole from closing up
a wrestling hold in which a wrestler presses the sides of his opponent's neck, causing him to pass out
USan unbranded calf
Also called: sleeper gobyany gobioid fish of the family Eleotridae, of brackish or fresh tropical waters, resembling the gobies but lacking a ventral sucker
informala person or thing that achieves unexpected success after an initial period of obscurity
a spy planted in advance for future use, but not currently active
Old English slæpere "one who sleeps, one who is inclined to sleep much," agent noun from sleep (v.). Meaning "strong horizontal beam" is from c.1600. Meaning "dormant or inoperative thing" is from 1620s. Meaning "railroad sleeping car" is from 1875. Sense of "something whose importance proves to be greater than expected" first attested 1892, originally in American English sports jargon, probably from earlier (1856) gambling slang sense of "unexpected winning card." Meaning "spy, enemy agent, terrorist etc. who remains undercover for a long time before attempting his purpose" first attested 1955, originally in reference to communist agents in the West.
