sleeping ppl adjective. ['sli:pɪŋ] ME.
[from SLEEP verb + -ING².]
1. That sleeps or is asleep; pertaining to a person who is asleep. ME.

2. Inducing sleep; soporific. rare. LME-L16.

3. Numb; devoid of sensation. M16.

4. Inactive, quiescent. M16.

5. Quiet, silent; motionless. L18.
Special collocations & phrases: let sleeping dogs lie: see DOG noun. sleeping beauty [with allus. to the heroine of a fairy tale who slept for 100 years until woken by the kiss of a prince] an unconscious or inactive person or thing. sleeping giant a dormant or inactive force. sleeping lizard (chiefly Austral.) any of various lizards, esp. the stump-tailed skink, Trachydosaurus rugosus. sleeping partner a partner in a business who takes no part in the actual work. sleeping policeman: see POLICEMAN 2b. sleeping princess = sleeping beauty above. wake a sleeping wolf: see WOLF noun.

■ sleepingly adverb (a) when asleep; (b) sleepily: LME.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲

sleeping verbal noun. ['sli:pɪŋ] ME.
[from SLEEP verb + -ING¹.]
The action of SLEEP verb.

Comb.:
sleeping-bag a lined or padded bag to sleep in when camping etc.; sleeping-car, sleeping-carriage a railway coach provided with beds or berths; sleeping-draught a drink to induce sleep; sleeping-pill: for inducing sleep; sleeping-potion arch. = sleeping-draught above; sleeping sickness (a) a tropical African disease caused by the protozoans Trypanosoma gambiense and T. rhodesiense, which are transmitted by tsetse-flies, and proliferate in the blood-vessels, ultimately affecting the central nervous system and leading to lethargy and death; trypanosomiasis; (b) (now rare) = SLEEPY sickness (b); sleeping-suit a one-piece night-garment worn esp. by children.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲