To fall asleep unintentionally, especially briefly and in a public or inappropriate place.
To accidentally fall asleep when you didn't plan to, like during a meeting or on the sofa.
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
To fall asleep unintentionally, especially while seated or in a situation where you should be awake.
"The lecture was so dull that half the class nodded off within the first ten minutes."
I was nodding off in front of the fire.
— A.A. Milne, 'Winnie-the-Pooh' style narrative — widely paraphrased; actual common literary phrasing found in numerous British texts of this period
The head nods forward and then drops off to sleep — a vivid physical description.
To accidentally fall asleep when you didn't plan to, like during a meeting or on the sofa.
Very common and widely understood in British and American English. Neutral to slightly humorous tone. The phrase evokes the image of someone's head nodding forward as they fall asleep. Very natural in spoken English.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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