1. Home
2. Idioms
3. nod off

nod off

---

---

nod off

to fall asleep, usually while sitting up. Jack nodded off during the minister's sermon. Father always nods off after Sunday lunch.

See also: nod, off

nod off

to go to sleep, esp. when not in bed or intending to sleep I nodded off once or twice during the movie.

See also: nod, off

nod off

Fall asleep momentarily, doze, as in Grandma spends a lot of time in her rocking chair, nodding off now and then. This expression alludes to the quick involuntary dropping of one's head from an upright position when drowsy or napping. The verb nod alone was so used from the mid-1500s. Also see drop off, def. 1.

See also: nod, off

nod off

v.

To fall asleep, especially without intending to do so: Some of the students nodded off during the lecture.

See also: nod, off