English Meaning & Definitions
To recover from the effects of alcohol intoxication, a hangover, or extreme fatigue by sleeping.
- “After drinking too much wine at the party, he went upstairs to sleep it off.”
- “You look exhausted and have a terrible headache; why don't you go lie down and sleep it off?”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “sleep it off”.
The phrase combines the verb 'sleep' (dating back to Old English 'slēpan') with the phrasal particle 'off', which has been used since the 16th century to indicate the gradual removal, elimination, or lessening of a state, condition, or feeling (similar to 'work it off' or 'laugh it off'). By the 19th century, it became specifically associated with recovering from the aftereffects of excessive alcohol consumption or intoxication.
Imagine someone sleeping *off* the heavy daze of a late night until it falls right *off* them.
Frequently Asked Questions About “sleep it off”
1. What is the meaning of “sleep it off” in English?
In English, sleep it off (idiom) is defined as: “To recover from the effects of alcohol intoxication, a hangover, or extreme fatigue by sleeping.”.
2. How do you use “sleep it off” in a sentence?
“After drinking too much wine at the party, he went upstairs to sleep it off.”
3. What are English synonyms of “sleep it off”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “sleep it off”?
The phrase combines the verb 'sleep' (dating back to Old English 'slēpan') with the phrasal particle 'off', which has been used since the 16th century to indicate the gradual removal, elimination, or lessening of a state, condition, or feeling (similar to 'work it off' or 'laugh it off'). By the 19th century, it became specifically associated with recovering from the aftereffects of excessive alcohol consumption or intoxication.
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