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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slep(e, Sleip, v. Also: sleipe, sleyp, sleep(e, slyp, scle(i)p, sleipt. P.t. and p.p. sle(i)p(p)it etc. [ME and e.m.E. slepe(n (c1160), slapen (c1200), sleape(n (Layamon), sclepe(n (c1275), sleep(e (1590). P.t. slepen (c1160), slep(e (a1300), sleep (Trevisa); slept(e (Layamon), slep(p)ed, sleppet (both Cursor M.), sleppit (Destr. Troy), sleep'd (1648), OE slépan, (slápan, slápan).] intr.

1. To take repose or rest by sleeping, to be asleep, to slumber; also, less commonly, to go to sleep, to fall asleep.pres. (1) 1375 Barb. ii 279.
Thai may … slep and rest And at to-morn but langar lest Ȝe sall isch furth to the bataill a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 450.
As quha to slepe suld mak hym bon a1400 Leg. S. ii 93.
Slepand sa he deit thare a1400 Leg. S. x 90.
He … gerte thai serpentis ly al still As slepande a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 248.
Pelagya To slepe to hir bede cane ga c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2333.
He … fand thaim fast slepand c1420 Wynt. v 3454.
This haly byschope … Slepand saw, … The ymage off oure Lady [etc.] c1450 Cr. Deyng 210.
Pur-borne men cumys nocht to honore slepand bot erar by gret trawell 1456 Hay II 124/3.
Dispone thé to slepe a lytill c1460 Wisd. Sol. 262.
The oure-gret fyll of the mychtty man lattis hyme to slep a1500 Henr. Fab. 257 (Asl.).
On nycht thai ran and on the day thai slepe c1475 Wall. viii 1180.
Thai … To souppar went and tymysly thai slepe a1500 Seven S. 2618.
Thai follow me ay with sic clamour That I may neuer slepe ane houre c1500 Fyve Bestes 224.
Dame Coppok … Said slepe ȝe schir get wp for Cristis saik Ȝour hour is gone 1547 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 131.
Gif ony of the said watches beis fundin absent, slepand or drinkand(b) c1460 Thewis Wysmen 269. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1030.
Me think it better To sleip in haill nor in ane hurt skyn a1500 Henr. Fab. 1295.
Quhy sleipis [Bann. slypis] thow sa lang? a1500 Henr. III 151/50.
This vntment is rycht ganand … To latt ȝow to sleip c1475 Wall. v 347.
Sleipe a1500 K. Hart 918.
Mony tyme the mes hes gart me sleip 1528 Lynd. Dreme 890.
Quhen the sleuthful hird dois sloug and sleip 1531 Bell. Boece I li.
This fische, quhen scho beginnis to sleip, fesnis hir teith fast on ane crag 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 79.
All the ȝoungkeris … to sleip on herd burdis 1549 Compl. 26/19.
Ȝe sal sleipt at ȝour eyse 1551 Hamilton Cat. 35.
Ye sall sleip and na man sal inquiat yow 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æneid i 374.
Diem componet, lay to sleip 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 136.
He sayis, that he sleipis not weil 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 58. a1595 Misc. Spald. C. II xxx.
To gar ane sleip tak egromonie [etc.] c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxi 8.
I sleip nocht, so your luif dois me molest 1617 Acts IV 539/2.
A constable may apprehend anye suspect man who for the maist pairt sleipeth all the day and walkethe in the night(c) a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 517.
It is good sleeping in a heal skin(2) c1420 Wynt. v 2574.
Gyff thow be slepand, now me tell 1549 Compl. 60/6.
Quhen it slais ane man that is sleipand [etc.] 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 137.
To wryte … quhen the rest ar sleipand, sen I cannot sleip(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 327.
Eve he mad, quhen he slepand lay, To be his mak c1400 Troy-bk. ii 743.
The Troyiens … Inne-to thar beddes lay slepand c1420 Wynt. i 446.
This Noe drownkyn slepand lay c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlviii 8.
In bed at morrow, sleiping as I lay 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10077.
The twa babis lay sleipand in thair bed(4) fig. c1590 J. Stewart 93/478.
Quhan the vermell Matutina sched In celest hews hir adgeit husband fro Him lewing sleipand in his donckie bedp.t. (1) 1375 Barb. vii 188.
He slepit as foul on twist 1375 Barb. ix 377.
Thai … As men that drede nocht, slepit all c1400 Troy-bk. ii 722 (C).
The Gregeois … sleped thare in gret blythnes 1456 Hay II 6/25.
The said squier … for irknes of travale … slepit apon his palfray a1500 Henr. Orph. 258.
Till at the last throu suetenes of the sound The dog slepit and fell vnto the ground c1475 Wall. xi 1003.
Quhen thai slepyt this traytour tuk graith heid c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 48.
On Florais mantill I slepit as I lay c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 7/7.
Sudandlie I sleipit a1508 Kynd Kittok 18.
Scho sleipit quhill the morne at none, and rais airly 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 111.
On slummyr I slaid full sad and slepit sound 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 557.
And thaireftir slepit soundlie(b) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 344.
Thai sleippit thris, and thris He wesyit thaim c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 26/34.
Langour wes weche upoun the wall That nevir sleipit bot evir wouke 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 79.
Als mony as wer awalk wer affrayit, and als mony as sleipit, wer awalkit 1596 Dalr. I 93/14.
Thay … sleipet sound 1650 Maxwell Mem. I 351.
If the pairtie sleeped [etc.] a1680 D. Blair in a1680 Blair Autob. 588.
None sleeped that night but children 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 172.
For he sleipit but few nights in his episcopall rest(2) c1475 Wall. vi 236.
In a heich hous quhar he was slepand fast c1552 Lynd. Mon. 764.
Quhen Adam wes slepand sounde 1570 Bann. Memor. 6.
I was sleipand into ane bed within the cabinate a1578 Pitsc. I 67/10.
Quhene he was sleipand thair come ane thunderand woyce 1635 Justiciary Cases I 255.
[They] war in thair bed and sleipping thairinp.p. c1420 Wynt. i 462.
Thai … cwveryde hym quhille he had slepid [C., W. slepit] c1475 Wall. vi 629.
Quhen that the Scottis had slepyt bot a quhill, Than rais thai wp 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 289.
My lord excusit the mater, sayand we had sclepitt to lang 15.. Clar. ii 1405.
Men … Quhilk all that nicht had not sleipit with ey 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 70.
Sike a hubby-shew … Wou'd wak'ned Neptune, had he sleep't

b. In collocation with to walk (= wake), conveying the sense of something incessant. a1500 Seven S. 2616.
Thre ravynnis ar euer on me rolpand Etand drynkand slepand walkand Thai follow me c1490 Irland Asl. MS 9/14.
Gif he happinnis to de than sudanely slepand or walkand … he is saif c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxv 40 (M).
Sleipand and walkand wes frustrat my desyre c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 63/116 (M).
Sleyping walking in rest and in travale 1525 St. A. Formulare I 269.
I curse thaim walkand, I curse thaim slepand [etc.] c1590 Fowler I 56/229.
How he ielous walkis and sleipis in dreid and doubt, Suspecting ay [etc.]

c. comb. With Half adv. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 249.
As scho halfe slepand lay c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxi 1.
This hinder nycht halff-sleiping as I lay 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 24.

d. Implying sexual intimacy. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 233.
Mar suet is to slep twa to-gydir na ane alane for langoure ande warmnes and gud cumpany 1535 Stewart 34016.
All nycht with huiris syne sleip[it] lyke ane sow a1570-86 Maitl. F. 363/103.
Ȝe man rest with me all nycht All nakit sleipand be my syd 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6449.
At hir he did inquire Quhat scho wald haue and fulfill his desire And sleip with him bot the space of ane nicht

2. In fig. usage. a. To lie at rest in death (also, in the grave); to die, also, to sleip in one's shoone to die violently. (Cf. SND Sleep v.¹ B 1 Combs. and phrs. (8).)(1) 1567 G. Ball. 164.
The bodie sleipis, quhill Domisday a1578 Pitsc. II 74/14.
I knaw that the saull of that man sall never sleip bot ewer sall leif ane imortall lyffe 1587-99 Hume 151/220.
So doth the body … sleepe … in the graue 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. viii.
As sound doe they sleepe by the mure edge … as in the most stately tombe 1604-31 Craig vi 6.
In Ephrons flowrie plaine Abraam there and Sara sleep … And there I buried Lea: … In Ephron Jacob with his fathers sleiped 1621 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 193.
The sevint day of Februar 1621, Jhone Lauder … sleipit maist sweetlie in the Lord, and depairtit this lyfe at thre houris in the efternoone(2) 1612 Reg. Privy C. IX 415.
He wald caus the said James sleip in his shoone before [etc.]

b. To be inactive or quiescent.The Wynt. quots., esp. the first, may belong in 1. c1420 Wynt. iv 1187.
The Romanys ware To geys dettyd … mare Than to thare goddis all, that slepyd c1420 Wynt. viii 6656.
Thocht God wald sleip in tyll hys den; Yit think me [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 72/12.
Full oft at morrow I upryse Quhen that my curage sleipeing lyis 1535 Stewart 17538.
Quhen that he knew of that thing all the treuth He sleipit nocht nor ouir slippin throw sleuth c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4888.
I thynk for me, better that thay had sleipit, Nor tyll haue maid ane law and neuer keip it 1562-3 Winȝet I 6/21.
He nother slepis nor slummeris quha behaldis al ȝour doingis 1567 G. Ball. 117.
Bot thow, gude Lord, ryse up and na mair sleip a1605 Montg. Sonn. vi 11.
God is not sleipand

c. To be slothful, inactive, idle. Const. in (sloth, etc.). 1535 Stewart 33065.
Sleipand in sleuth, as ony sow als sueir 1535 Stewart 36381.
He wox ay war … Sleipand in sleuth, with so greit negligence, Without punitioun of ony offence [etc.] 1554 Knox III 104.
Men whilk … cairlesslie sleipeth in a wickit lyfe 1567 G. Ball. 118.
Our sinful lyfe, that we haif sleipit in 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 26.
And, quhen he mycht, he myst nocht in the Law Twyse on the day, and sleipit nocht in sleuth, To se [etc.] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1560 (Wr.). 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 43/7.
A cauterized conscience … being becumd sencelesse of sinne throuch sleiping in a cairlesse securitie

d. Of a matter, esp. a legal process, cause, etc.: To be in abeyance, to lie dormant. 1541 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. i (Elphinston v. Innes).
The said Walter Innes is decessit quhairthrow the said mater hes slepit 1558 Acts II 521/1.
The said summondis wes … restit for interlocutour tobe gevin thairupoun and slepit sensyne 1558 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 181.
One the quhilk day thair was na court haldin and sua the said mater slepit 1557-61 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 84. 1564 Edinb. B. Deeds 157b.
The said Thomas … is content that his infeftment … sleip during the tyme … foirsaid 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a fol. 14a.
The principall caus sleipis quhill the caus of varrandice be discussit 1570 St. A. Kirk S. 341. c1575 Balfour Pract. 239. 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 124.
Thair was na thing done in the said mater bot the samyn sleipit continewally 1579–80 Rec. Earld. Orkney 153.
Scleipit 1595 Aberd. B. Rec. II 131.
In ane vther proces yet slepand and … nocht … lauchfullie walknit 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Annexation. 1587-99 Hume 74/206.
Their proces will sa lang lye ou'r, and sleepe 1616 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 16.
Upon conditions that Maister George sald suffer all pursuit of law to sleipe until that day 1628 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. I 252. a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 228.
The said tacks die not, bot only sleep dureng the ward 1658 R. Moray Lett. fol. 214.
We will lat the coat [of arms] sleep till we meet & then we shall fork for it 1671 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 514.
A summons must be executed within year and day after the same is raised, else that summons is null … if year and day elapse without doing anything thereon, the same is said to sleep 1682 Cunningham Diary 21.
I have his band … which I intend not to let sleep after that day if he pay me not willingly

3. tr. To sleip (nocht, never) ane wink, not to sleep at all. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 403.
Wee sall never sleip ane wink c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 899.
That nicht he sleipit neuer ane wink, Bot still did on the ladie think a1570-86 Kennedy in Maitl. F. 156/14.
This nicht I micht nocht sleip ane wink

4. a. Const. out: To spend time sleeping. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579) 166.
Edormisco iterum dormiendo concoquo, to sleip out

b. fig., reflex. Const. away: To remove, get rid of, waste, by sleeping. ?1615 Soc. Ant. IV 89.
This age hath rather sleeped away itselfe than lived. We shall be unworthy doe naughts to the posteritye