half to sleep

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "half to sleep" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete expression and does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "After a long day, I felt half to sleep on the couch."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Most American mainstream cinema assumes a kind of ADHD condition in the viewer, as if we only go to the cinema to be lulled half to sleep.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Follow Andrew W.K. on TwItter.

Vice

Half were kept awake learning, half went to sleep while listening to recordings of words.

Huffington Post

All three belonged to a small, closed group of young Grozny lesbians, where, as it happens in lesbian communities the world over, half the women had slept together, half wanted to sleep together, and several had been through rancorous breakups.

The New Yorker

For someone whose default emotional setting is semi-detached hyper-sociability, and whose most beloved friends generally live in another place, and whose better half likes to sleep on in the mornings, and to whom speech is a second language, it truly is the gift that keeps on poking.

Independent

But if he were to address the question in scientific detail, with numbers, charts and percentages, "it would probably put half the people to sleep," he remembered thinking.

The New York Times

The silly-looking silver cap conditions half my brain to sleep while other parts take over — as if I'm a dolphin, beached in orbit.

Nature

Almost all of the respondents said that their dog was the greatest pleasure in their life with more than half allowing it to sleep in bed with them.

The Times

Her frankly sexual poem, "Crossing Half of China to Sleep with You," went viral on Chinese social media in January 2015, turning her into a nationwide sensation.

Duke University

According to NOAA, when dolphins sleep, they swim "slowly, occasionally surfacing for air, allowing half their brain to sleep at a time".

Huffington Post

It's not a Deadmau5 set without a self-indulgent movement or two – As I walked away, he was in the midst of a lengthy piano solo number that must have put half the crowd to sleep.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to express a state of partial sleep, prefer "half-asleep" or "partially asleep" as grammatically correct and widely accepted alternatives to "half to sleep".

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "half" when describing a state of sleep. The correct construction involves using a hyphenated adjective ("half-asleep") or rephrasing to "partially asleep".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "half to sleep" functions as a prepositional phrase attempting to describe a state of being partially asleep. However, according to Ludwig, it's not grammatically correct. Instead, the hyphenated adjective "half-asleep" or the phrase "partially asleep" are preferred.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "half to sleep" aims to express a state of being partially asleep, Ludwig AI indicates it is grammatically incorrect. More appropriate alternatives include "half-asleep" or "partially asleep". The contexts in which the phrase appears are varied but primarily situated within news, academic, and scientific texts. Given the grammatical issues and the availability of clearer alternatives, it is advisable to use "half-asleep" or "partially asleep" for better clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

half-asleep

This term describes a state of being partially asleep, similar to the intended meaning, but is grammatically correct.

partially asleep

This phrase is a more formal and grammatically sound alternative to describe the same condition.

drowsy

Indicates a state of sleepiness, though it doesn't explicitly convey being in the process of falling asleep.

dozing

Describes lightly sleeping, especially for a short period.

nodding off

Suggests a brief, involuntary descent into sleep.

drifting off

Implies a gradual transition from wakefulness to sleep.

in a slumber

Describes a state of sleep, though it doesn't explicitly convey being in the process of falling asleep.

slumbering

A more poetic term for sleeping.

in a light sleep

Describes a sleep that is not deep, but doesn't imply the transition into it.

lightly sleeping

Similar to being in a light sleep.

FAQs

What does "half to sleep" mean?

The phrase "half to sleep" is not a standard English expression. It likely aims to describe a state of being partially asleep or in the process of falling asleep. Consider using phrases like "half-asleep" or "partially asleep" instead.

Is it grammatically correct to say "half to sleep"?

No, "half to sleep" is not grammatically correct. Standard English prefers using "half-asleep" (a hyphenated adjective) or "partially asleep".

What are some alternatives to "half to sleep"?

You can use alternatives like "half-asleep", "partially asleep", "drowsy", or "nodding off" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How can I use "half-asleep" in a sentence?

You can use "half-asleep" in sentences like: "I was "half-asleep" during the movie, so I missed most of the plot." or "She answered the phone, sounding "half-asleep"."