Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SLEEP-ING, ppr.

Resting; reposing in sleep.

SLEEP-LESS, a.

1. Having no sleep; without sleep; wakeful.
2. Having no rest; perpetually agitated; as, Biscay's sleepless bay. – Byron.

SLEEP-LESS-LY, adv.

In a sleepless manner.

SLEEP-LESS-NESS, n.

Want or destitution of sleep.

SLEEP-WAK-ER, n.

One under the influence of magnetic sleep.

SLEEP-WAK-ING, n.

The state of one mesmerized, who is asleep and awake at the same time.

SLEEP-Y, a.

1. Drowsy; inclined to sleep.
2. Not awake. She wak'd her sleepy crew. – Dryden.
3. Tending to induce sleep; soporiferous; somniferous; as, a sleepy drink or potion. – Milton. Shak.
4. Dull; lazy; heavy; sluggish. – Shak.

SLEEP-Y-LOOK-ING, a.

Appearing to be sleepy.

SLEET, n. [Dan. slud, loose weather, rain and snow together; Ice. sletta.]

1. A fall of hail or snow and rain together, usually in fine particles. – Dryden.
2. In gunnery, the part of a mortar passing from the chamber to the trunnions for strengthening that part. – Encyc.

SLEET, v.i.

To snow or hail with a mixture of rain.

SLEET-Y, a.

1. Bringing sleet. – Warton.
2. Consisting of sleet.

SLEEVE, n. [Sax. slef, slyf; W. llawes; said to be from llaw, the hand.]

1. The part of a garment that is fitted to cover the arm; the sleeve of a coat or gown.
2. The raveled sleeve of care, in Shakspeare. [See Sleave.] To laugh in the sleeve, to laugh privately or unperceived; that is perhaps, originally, by hiding the face under the sleeve or arm. – Arbuthnot. To hang on the sleeve, to be or make dependent on others. – Ainsworth.

SLEEVE, v.t.

To furnish with sleeves; to put in sleeves.

SLEEVE-BUT-TON, n.

A button to fasten the sleeve or wristband.

SLEEV-ED, a.

Having sleeves.

SLEEVE-LESS, a.

1. Having no sleeves; as, a sleeveless coat. – Sandys.
2. Wanting a cover, pretext or palliation; unreasonable; as, a sleeveless tale of transubstantiation; a sleeveless errand. [Little used.] – Hall. Spectator.

SLEEV-ING, ppr.

Furnishing with sleeves.

SLEID, v.t.

To sley or prepare for use in the weaver's sley or slaie.

SLEID-ED, pp.

Prepared for use in the weaver's sley.

SLEID-ING, ppr.

Preparing for use in the weaver's sley.

SLEIGH, n. [sla. Probably allied to sleek.]

A vehicle moved on runners, and greatly used in America for transporting persons or goods on snow or ice. [This word the English write and pronounce sledge, and apply it to what we call a sled.]

SLEIGH-ING, n.

1. The state of the snow which admits of running sleighs.
2. The act of riding in a sleigh.

SLEIGHT, n. [slite; G. schlich, trick, cunning; schlicht, plain, sleek; Sw. slög, dextrous; D. sluik, underhand; sluiken, to smuggle; Ir. slightheach, sly.]

1. An artful trick; sly artifice; a trick or feat so dextrously performed that the manner of performance escapes observation; as, sleight of hand; Fr. legerdemain. Not improbably sleight and Fr. leger, light, may have a common origin.
2. Dextrous practice; dexterity.

SLEIGHT-FUL, or SLEIGHT-Y, a.

Artful; cunningly dextrous.

SLEN'DER, a. [Old D. slinder. This word is probably formed on the root of lean, Teutonic klein.]

1. Thin; small in circumference compared with the length; not thick; as, a slender stem or stalk of a plant.
2. Small in the waist; not thick or gross. A slender waist is considered as a beauty.
3. Not strong; small; slight. Mighty hearts are held in slender chains. – Pope.
4. Weak; feeble; as, slender hope; slender probabilities; a slender constitution.
5. Small; inconsiderable; as, a man of slender parts.
6. Small; inadequate; as, slender means of support; a slender pittance. – Shak.
7. Not amply supplied. The good Ostorius often deign'd / To grace my slender table. – Philips.
8. Spare abstemious; as, a slender diet. – Arbuthnot.