Middle English Dictionary Entry
slẹ̄p n.
Entry Info
| Forms | slẹ̄p n. Also slepe, sslepe, sclepe, sleppe, selepe, slōpe, (N or early) slāp(e & slēp(e, (early) sleape, slæp(e, sclep & (error) shep. |
| Etymology | OE: cp. WS slǣp, slāp, A slēp. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The state of sleep; also person.; slepes bondes; the ~ was in here eie, they were asleep; (b) ~ of deth, dethes ~, death; ded (strong) ~, deep sleep [see ded adj.4.(e)]; fals ~, morbid or unnatural sleep, a coma; first (forme) ~, deep sleep early in the night; golden ~, early morning sleep; laste ~, death; tempre ~, moderate sleep; taken ~ in crist, to be dead; (c) a ~ [see aslepe adv.]; in (on) ~, asleep; bringen on ~ [see bringen v.2c.(e)]; fallen in (on, to, upon) ~ [see fallen v.24.(e)]; fon to ~, fall asleep; lien on ~; sliden on ~; slippen on (upon) ~ [see slippen v.2.(a)]; (d) in cpds.: ~ ern [OE slæp-ærn], a dormitory; ~ wort, lettuce Lactuca serriola or Lactuca virosa; ~ yern, eager to sleep, somnolent; morwe ~, early morning sleep; also, sleep after the time for rising [see also morwe n.2.(c)]; slume ~, a deep sleep.
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)3/15 : Þe slæp & idel fedeð unðeawes & unhæle þæs lichamen.
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.MQuad.(Hrl 6258B)255/19 : To slæpe [L somnum], gate horn under heafed ȝeled.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)2971 : A whil þatt icc amm i min bedd Þurh slæpess bandess bundenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)12759 : Þus Ardur [read: Arður] him seide þa he awoc of slæpe.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)7 : Longe we habben lein on ure fule synnes and swoldred þaron, alse slou man doð on swete slape.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)87/30 : Ða ðohtes ðat cumeð of ðine flesce, æure hi beð nexse, oðer of mete, oðer of drenkch, oðer of claðes, oðer of slape, oðer of sume idelnesse.
- a1300(c1250) Floris (Vit D.3)374 : Þat he [Admiral] com þer hei boþe leie, Þere ȝet was þe slep in here eȝe.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)83/1417 : Horn him wok of slape.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8848 : Entempre he was of mete & drinke & of slep þerto.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.3987 : I sholde er this haue fallen doun for sleep Al thogh the slough hadde neuere ben so deep.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.1782 : Whan thei were abedde naked, Withoute slep he was awaked.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.2973 : Juno..bad Yris hir Messagere To Slepes hous that sche schal wende.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.347 : The norice of digestioun, the sleep Gan on hem wynke.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1095 : Ȝe arn not wel waryst Nauþer of sostnaunce ne of slepe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3563 : As hem þouȝt, it was not for þe beste To speke of slepe til þat it was prime.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.1538 : He may wel ligge and wynke, But slep ne may ther in his herte synke.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)152/3 : In þe slepe þe vse of þe bodely wittys is cesid.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2978 : She gaff hym mylk; the slep fill in his hed.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)95/7 : A fable seiþ þat Morpheus is son to þe god of slepe.
- a1450 Liber Cophonis (Add 34111)19/6 : For ache of heued þat comeþ of fleumatyk betokeneþ þe nose ystoppyd and þe eyen watery and heuy of slepe and þe mouþe moist.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)79/13 : Ȝyff hym..hot ale..and kepe hym fro slep a long tyme þer-after.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)139/9 : Thus, sister, leue lustis in mete and drinke and slepe.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)1369 : Albon..thouht..With shep [read: slep] oppressid for to take his rest.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)10976 : Of alle þinges..Þan is þer noon so sauoure..As sleep is whan time come þerto.
b
- 1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1131 : On an Mone niht æt þe forme slæp wæs se heouene o ðe norð half eall swilc hit wære bærnende fir.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19254 : Þær he ras þe þridde daȝȝ Off dæþess slæp to life.
- c1390 Psalt.Mariae(1) (Vrn)1130 : Þe geaunt of hond so strong Þat wel a-wakeþ þe slepynge Of sleep of deþ so long.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sq.(Manly-Rickert)F.367 : She..slepte hir firste sleep and awook.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)313a/a : Þe posteme þat is cause of þe fals slepe [L false somnolentie et soporis].
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)7018 : He sagh þys syght At þe fyrst slepe of þe nyght.
- c1400 *Aelred Inst.(1) (Vrn)317 : Whan þe houre cam of his laste slep þat he schulde be deed..he sayde þeose wordes, [etc.].
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6280 : Þe false Greke Synoun In Troie waker gan to take kepe Þe hour whan men wern in her first slepe.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)364/5604 : Redyssh spatle in þe begynnynge of þe malady is gud, & namely ȝif he haf temper sclepe.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.2/23 : Summe haue take ther slepe yn cryiste And summe..be ȝitte a-lyue.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)183/4 : Mandrake..wele makyn a man to slepe so fast þat..he schuld noȝt wake ne onethe fele no peyne for þe strong slep.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.911 : Thus he hangeth heuy slouthe in his eye..And telle[th] hym that is the golden slepe: 'And if thow arise now, it might do the harme.'
- a1500(?a1449) ?Lydg.Diet.Interpol.(Lnsd 699)91 : All this processe concludith vp[on] tyme, Temperat diet, kyndly digestioun, The golden sleep braidyng vpon pryme.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)2 : Halfe in a dreme, not fully well a-waked, The golden slepe me wrapt vndir his wyng.
- c1500 Melusine (Roy 18.B.2)186/3 : They departed about the first slepe.
c
- ?a1160 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1135 : Ðæt oþer dei..he [Henry] lai an slep in scip.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)88/30 : Swa styriende is þe sawle þæt heo forþam on slepe ne stilð.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)613 : Þa þuhte him on his swefne þar he on slepe læi, [etc.].
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)254 : Hit fel in one niȝte þe botiler feng to slepe, A swiþe muri sweuene him þuȝte þat he gan mete.
- c1300 Horn (LdMisc 108)74/1346 : Þe knyt hy lay on slepe [vr. on slape; Cmb: aslepe].
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)7878 : Incubi demones Ne doþ..noht moche scaþe, bote swinkeþ men on sleape.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)41.307/58 : God sente to hire on a niht An holi Mon þat..In Rome hedde..ben longe pope; he seide to þis wommon In slope, [etc.].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7198 : His faas stilli sco badd ta kepe, And band him [Samson] quils he was on-slepe.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)20496 : All þar fell to slepe [Göt: a-slepe] onan.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)200 : Hatz þou, gome, no gouernour ne god on to calle, Þat þou þus slydes on slepe when þou slayn worþes?
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 1203)3/36 : In sleep [Hrl 171: whanne we slepen seen þe lijknesse of þingis bi whiche summe oþire þingis ben bitokened].
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)3411 : On slepe left þai his lyowne And wan þam wightly out of toun.
- c1450(c1400) ?Clanvowe Cuckoo & N.(Frf 16)88 : I fel in such a slombre and a swowe, Not al on slepe, ne fully wakynge.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)51/30 : He ys but on slepe and woll awake within thys owre.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)99 : Crystys curse hade, þerfor, for I was in slepe.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)4063 : We were bothe on sleppe.
- a1500(?c1450) Florence (Cmb Ff.2.38)1630 : When he wyste they were on slope, To Betres throte can he grope, In sonder he schare hyt tyte.
d
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1116 : On þisum ylcan geare bærnde eall þæt mynstre of Burh, & eallæ þa husas butan se Captel hus & se Slæpperne.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)23/30 : Næng beon ofermodȝ, ne druncenȝeorn, ne oferæte, ne slaw, ne slapȝeorn, ne gneornende, ne teolende.
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)547/15 : Dormitorium: slepern.
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)100/260 : His morȝe-sclep [Mdst: morȝen-slep] sal be muchil lestind werse, þe swo on euen yuele haued ydronken.
- a1300 Hrl.978 Vocab.(Hrl 978)558/27 : Lactuca, i. letue, i. slepwurt.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)186 : Slypped vpon a sloumbe-selepe, and sloberande he routes.
- c1400(?c1380) Patience (Nero A.10)466 : He slydez on a sloumbe-slep sloghe vnder leues.
- ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh 10.90)172/22 : Lactuca is an herbe þat men clepe letuse or slepwourt [vr. slepwort].
- a1500(a1449) Lydg.Pestil.(Lnsd 699:MacCracken)23 : The morwe sleep, callid gyldene in sentence, Gretly helpith ayeen the mystis blake.
2.
(a) A period of sleep, a spell of sleep; cacchen (taken) a ~, to have a sleep; (b) one's own sleep, one's own spell of sleep; also fig.; taken ~, to be asleep.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3152 : He ras upp off þatt slæp.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/11 : Ȝe muhe seggen hit..efter slep hwil þet sumer leasteð bute hwen ȝe feasteð.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)51/26 : Moni slep hit binimeð me.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)31/31 : Oþerhuil hy byeþ ynoȝ awaked to nyedes þat hi hedden leuere lyese vour messen þanne ane zuot oþer ane slep.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)252 : Homme apres dormer se espreche: M. aftur slepe romuth hym.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1920 : In the temple of Venus maystow se Wroght on the wal ful pitous to biholde The broken slepes and the sykes colde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4227 : She creep in to the clerk And lyth ful stille and wolde haue caught a sleep.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)198b/b : Þis stoon..haþ vertue..to make swete slepes.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)152/3 : Wel is þis werk licnyd to a slepe.
- a1425 Daniel *Treat.Uroscopy (Wel 225)269/3430 : When he had etyn þis myes..he tuk a sclepe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.5.17 : They slepen holsome slepes uppon the gras.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)148a/a : Kepyng..fro stone is for leuyng of metez viscose &..abstening fro wide opne slepe vpon þe necke & longnez of stricture of þe girdil.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)160/281 : I will go neuer ouer þis stye Tyll I haue a slepe.
- a1500(a1450) Parton.(1) (Add 35288)10808 : That nyght she hadde but lytill slepe.
- a1500 Partenay (Trin-C R.3.17)5463 : He ther slepte no slepe, manly waked ryght.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7043 : Gode menness herrtess..sinndenn þatt hallȝhe gessthus Þatt Crist iss borenn inne; Forr Cristess resste..& Cristess swete slæpess Sinndenn..I gode menness herrtess.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1282 : Of his slep a-non he brayd.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)573 : Schorttily, wiþ-in seueniȝt, al hire slep sche leues.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1390 : Arrayed was this god..As he was whan that Argus took his sleep.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pard.(Manly-Rickert)C.580 : Attila the grete conquerour Deyde in his sleep with shame and dishonour.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Rv.(Manly-Rickert)A.4163 : As an hors he fnorteth in his sleep.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5673 : Pers of hys slepe gan blynke.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7201 : Sampson wakken[d] of his slape.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3168 : Eche of hem..shal..Fader, brother, and husbond in her slepe With knyves sharpe..Kytt her throtes.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)153a/b : It..takeþ awey a mannes slepe and his reste.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)36 : A sowre..woke & warned hym..That none..in his slepe..scholde hym dere.
- ?c1450 Stockh.PRecipes (Stockh 10.90)98/15 : Aueroyne..schall benemyn hym spekynge in hys slepe.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)61/14 : Þan shal þi slepe be to þe right swete.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.24.16a : Whan þou art waken of þi slep and art redi for to preie..þanne bihouiþ þe for to quikne þin herte bi preiere and..deuocion.
3.
(a) A dream, nightmare; in ~; (b) a lethargy, weakness; heedlessness, depravity; forgetfulness, oblivion.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)7479 : All þiss hem seȝȝde Godess Gast O bedde þer þeȝȝ slepptenn, Forr þatt he wollde þurrh þatt slep Well mikell þing bitacnenn.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)328 : Him þoȝte þe ymage in is slep tolde him is chance.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)246/19 : Þis is þe laste stape of þe lheddre of perfeccion þet Iacob yzeȝ ine his sslepe.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.3 : Þat..is gostlich als it were a semblaunce whan we seen it in sleep.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.1.20 : Lö the angel of the Lord aperide in sleepe, or sweuen, to hym.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4124 : The humour of malencolie Causeth ful many a man in sleep to crie For fere of blake beres or boles blake.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.2813 : To him a foretokne he sende, And that was in his slep be nyhte.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)432 : Iosep of dremys had ȝyue no kepe what hym was shewed yn hys slepe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1234 : On a day..byfel that in his slep hym thoughte That in a forest faste he welk to wepe.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.28.12 : He seiȝe in sleep [alt. from: slepis] a laddir stondynge on the erthe.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(3) (Htrn 95)73b/a : Galien sawe þat in his slepe and badde let blode in þat place, and anoone as þe man hadde bledde he was hole.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)72/31 : And I laye stille tille nyght..And in my slepe..me thought the fende sette hym in my throte and walde hafe strangelede me.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.145 : Cirus was monyschede [Trev.: i-warned] in his slepe that he scholde take that man to his felowe.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)176/30 : If they goo to bedde so, they shall suffre payne in their slepe [F en songe] as in dremyng and othir wyse.
- a1500 Nicod.(4) (Hrl 149)51 : The wyfe of Pylat..had suffred þat nyght for that ryghtful man gret tourment yn her sleepe.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3143,3148 : Wel bilimmpeþþ þatt itt seȝȝþ Þatt he ras upp off slæpe Forr he wass þa brohht ut off all Orrtrowwþe & orrraþnesse..Forr þatt wass þurrh wanntrowwþess slæp Þatt he wass off hiss macche All orrraþ.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)77 : Seinte poul..minegeð us..þat we..weche us of ure heuie slape.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)76/20 : Ha wule schaken of hire slep of uuel slawðe.
- a1275 Serm.St.Nich.(Trin-C B.14.39)65/75 : Þe boc..seiid þat hem is sclep op on þat hore catel leued op on ant habbet al þis worldis þing he bet y-nome wid scleping.
- c1350 Ayenb.App.(Arun 57)264/6 : Þise zuo y-diȝt naȝt longe to þe wakynde þe slep of zenne benymþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.29.10 : For mengd haþ þe lord to ȝou þe spirit of slep; he shal closen ȝoure eȝen..& þer shal ben to ȝou þe viseoun of alle as þe woordis of þe booc sealid.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.51.17 : Of þe chalis of slep þou drunke & þou drunke it vp vn to þe drestis.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)14/24 : Þerfor he biddeþ vs so ofte in þe gospel þat we schuld awake fro slep of synne.
- c1425 *Wycl.Concord.(Roy 17.B.1)133b : Our is now þat we ryse fro sleep.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)126/7 : Be þis slepe is vndirstonde esines.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)6 : Off aunters ben olde of aunsetris nobill, And slydyn vppon shlepe by slomeryng of Age.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. sleep 1.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc. (sense 1.(b)), see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. false sleep.