slumber

American  

[sluhm-ber] / ˈslʌm bər /

verb (used without object)

1. to sleep, especially lightly; doze; drowse.

2. to be in a state of inactivity, negligence, quiescence, or calm.

   Vesuvius is slumbering.

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verb (used with object)

1. to spend or pass (time) in slumbering (often followed by away, out, orthrough ).

   to slumber the afternoon away.

2. to dispel or forget by slumbering (often followed byaway ).

   to slumber cares away.

noun

1. Sometimes slumbers. sleep, especially light sleep.

2. a period of sleep, especially light sleep.

3. a state of inactivity, quiescence, etc.

slumber British  

/ ˈslʌmbə /

verb

1. (intr) to sleep, esp peacefully

2. (intr) to be quiescent or dormant

3. to spend (time) sleeping

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noun

1. (sometimes plural) sleep

2. a dormant or quiescent state

Other Word Forms

• slumberer noun
• slumberless adjective
• unslumbering adjective

Etymology

Origin of slumber

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English slumeren, frequentative of slumen to doze, derivative of Old English slūma sleep ( -er ⁶ ); compare German schlummern; (noun) Middle English slomur, slomber, derivative of the v.

Example Sentences

Maybe you want to identify what messes with your slumber, such as working out late, or monitor your patterns over time.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the back of his head he could sense her stirring from her slumber.

From Literature

Here, a slumber party of the rich and powerful wants to zap their misdeeds from memory so they can get a good night’s sleep.

From Los Angeles Times

Luckily, I’d glimpsed a space between two of them before darkness descended, and I groped my way to it while Yao seemed to fall into instant slumber.

From Literature

So while precious and base metals continue to rally to fresh highs, steelmaking coal is now stirring from its slumber, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• coma
• dormancy
• stupor