1
[ adjective ] in a state of sleep

Examples

"were all asleep when the phone rang" "fell asleep at the wheel"

Used in print

(Louis Zara, Dark Rider....)

What if it came when he was playing , or was asleep and dreaming ?

(Francis Pollini, Night....)

He looked over at him , lying there , asleep , and he felt a wave of revulsion .

(W. H. Gass, "The Pedersen Kid," in The...)

I could n't be sure he was still asleep .

(Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land....)

`` Asleep .

`` I ought to be asleep , too , but I felt_like a snack .

2
[ adverb ] into a sleeping state

Examples

"he fell asleep"

Used in print

(Dell Shannon, The Ace of Spades....)

Alison was still sound asleep ; he made fresh coffee and searched through all the desk drawers for more cigarettes before thinking_of her handbag , and found a crumpled stray cigarette at its bottom , which tasted peculiarly of face_powder .

3
[ adverb ] in the sleep of death
4
[ adjective ] lacking sensation

Synonyms

numb benumbed

Examples

"my foot is asleep" "numb with cold"

Related terms

insensible

5
[ adjective ] (euphemistic) dead "he is deceased"

Examples

"our dear departed friend"

Related terms

euphemism dead

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