[syn: snooze, drowse, doze]
2. be on the verge of sleeping;
- Example: "The students were drowsing in the 8 AM class"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Drowse \Drowse\, v. t.
To make heavy with sleepiness or imperfect sleep; to make
dull or stupid. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Drowse \Drowse\, n.
A slight or imperfect sleep; a doze.
[1913 Webster]
But smiled on in a drowse of ecstasy. --Mrs.
Browning.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Drowse \Drowse\ (drouz), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Drowsed (drouzd);
p. pr. & vb. n. Drowsing.] [AS. dr[=u]sian, dr[=u]san, to
sink, become slow or inactive; cf. OD. droosen to be sleepy,
fall asleep, LG. dr[=u]sen, druusken, to slumber, fall down
with a noise; prob, akin to AS. dre['o]san to fall. See
Dreary.]
To sleep imperfectly or unsoundly; to slumber; to be heavy
with sleepiness; to doze. "He drowsed upon his couch."
--South.
[1913 Webster]
In the pool drowsed the cattle up to their knees.
--Lowell.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
drowse
n 1: a light fitful sleep [syn: doze, drowse]
v 1: sleep lightly or for a short period of time [syn: snooze,
drowse, doze]
2: be on the verge of sleeping; "The students were drowsing in
the 8 AM class"