sleeper
sleeper — noun
1. someone whose rest is described by qualities such as how deeply they sleep or ho
someone whose rest is described by qualities such as how deeply they sleep or how easily they are woken
Sumin is such a light sleeper that even a soft cough wakes her up.
collocation: light sleeper / heavy sleeper
Tuan is a heavy sleeper who never stirs during a thunderstorm.
Since the baby arrived, Sora has become a very light sleeper.
Being a deep sleeper means Saira can sleep through any alarm clock.
The hotel was noisy, but luckily William is a sound sleeper.
文法句型
adjective + sleeper
用法筆記
Adjectives commonly used before 'sleeper' include 'light', 'heavy', 'deep', 'sound'. This sense does not describe a physical position or location of sleeping.
常見錯誤
2. a railway coach fitted with berths where travellers can rest overnight, or the b
a railway coach fitted with berths where travellers can rest overnight, or the berth itself, or the train providing this accommodation
The overnight train from Taipei to Taitung has a comfortable sleeper carriage.
sleeper carriage
Adisa booked a bed in a sleeper for the long journey across France.
book + a bed in a sleeper
The sleeper was warm and quiet, so Élise woke up feeling refreshed.
Vinícius prefers taking a sleeper train to flying because he can lie flat.
- sleeping car
more formal or technical term for a railway carriage with beds
- couchette
a cheaper, simpler type of train bed often in an open compartment
用法筆記
Can refer to the carriage ('a sleeper'), the bed ('a berth in a sleeper'), or the whole train ('a sleeper train'). Common in travel contexts.
常見錯誤
3. a strong horizontal block placed under the rails of a railway to hold them in po
a strong horizontal block placed under the rails of a railway to hold them in position, typically fashioned from timber or cement
The railway workers replaced the old wooden sleepers with concrete ones.
wooden sleepers / concrete sleepers
A rotten sleeper can make the track uneven and cause trains to shake.
Each sleeper is fixed to the rails with strong metal clips and bolts.
From the window, Jiwoo watched the sleepers flash past beneath the carriage.
- railroad tie
the standard American English term for the same object
用法筆記
Called 'railroad tie' in American English. In Taiwan, 枕木 is the common term, though modern sleepers are often concrete rather than wood.
4. a small ring or stud, often gold or silver, that is inserted into a pierced ear
a small ring or stud, often gold or silver, that is inserted into a pierced ear to keep the earlobe opening from healing shut when no other jewellery is being worn
Caleb wears a small gold sleeper in his left ear to keep the hole open.
gold sleeper / silver sleeper
After the party, Jessica took out her dangling earrings and put in sleepers.
The piercing studio gave Lakan a pair of silver sleepers after the procedure.
Quinn forgot to wear a sleeper overnight and had to get the ear re-pierced.
- stud
a small earring that sits on the earlobe without hanging, but not specifically for keeping a piercing open
用法筆記
Usually worn when the wearer does not want a visible or dangling earring — for example at night, at work, or during sports. Sold in pairs.
常見錯誤
5. a person, film, book, or product that gains sudden and surprising popularity fol
a person, film, book, or product that gains sudden and surprising popularity following an extended stretch of going largely unnoticed or underappreciated
The low-budget film was a sleeper that nobody expected to make money.
sleeper hit / sleeper success
Layla's first novel was a sleeper that only became famous two years after its release.
sleeper + become famous / become popular
That indie video game was a complete sleeper, now played by millions worldwide.
The small ramen shop was a sleeper, winning a Michelin star years later.
Imani's podcast was a sleeper for months before it suddenly topped the charts.
- dark horse
used more often for a person than a product, especially in sports or competitions
- surprise hit
more direct and less idiomatic than 'sleeper hit'
- flop
a product that fails despite expectations
文法句型
a sleeper + hit / success / film
用法筆記
Commonly used with 'hit' — 'sleeper hit' is a fixed phrase. Also used in sports for a team or player who performs much better than expected.
常見錯誤
6. an intelligence agent placed in a foreign country or organization who lives as a
an intelligence agent placed in a foreign country or organization who lives as an ordinary citizen and remains inactive until directed to carry out an operation
The intelligence agency had placed a sleeper in the capital years before the operation.
place a sleeper
A sleeper may live a normal family life for a decade before receiving orders.
The police arrested a sleeper who had been planted inside the government office.
Counter-intelligence teams find it extremely hard to identify a sleeper before activation.
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'mole' — a mole works inside an organization and actively gathers information, while a sleeper remains dormant until activated.
7. a full-length infant garment that wraps the baby from the neck down to the toes,
a full-length infant garment that wraps the baby from the neck down to the toes, typically made of soft fabric and worn as nighttime clothing
Noa dressed the baby in a warm fleece sleeper before putting him in the cot.
dress + baby + in a sleeper
The cotton sleeper has buttons from the neck down to the toes for easy changes.
Lakan's mother bought three new sleepers decorated with little bears and stars.
A baby sleeper keeps infants warm at night without needing loose blankets.
- sleepsuit
the common British English term for the same garment
- babygro
a brand name often used generically in the UK for baby sleepers
- footed pajama
the American English term
用法筆記
Also called a 'sleepsuit' or 'babygro' in British English. In American English it may be called a 'footed pajama'. Usually made of soft cotton or fleece and often has a zip or snap buttons.