English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English beslepen, from Old English beslǣpan (to sleep, sleep through, sleep over), equivalent to be- +‎ sleep. Compare West Frisian besliepe (to sleep with), Dutch beslapen (to sleep with), German beschlafen (to lay with).

Verb edit

besleep (third-person singular simple present besleeps, present participle besleeping, simple past and past participle beslept)

  1. (transitive, intransitive, reflexive, archaic) To sleep; have a sleep; sleep with.
    • 1859, George Gilfillan, The poets and poetry of the Bible:
      Others are going about our streets, like well-meaning but beslept watchmen, calling the hours of midnight, while the morning is paling their lanterns.
    • 1926, Blanche Colton Williams, Best American stories:
      He still beslept himself as we passed; he being a slumbersome person.
    • 1973, Georg Peter Landmann, Stefan George in fremden Sprachen:
      He knows the last but whom the god beslept.

Anagrams edit